Chapter 4 Part II

The movie theater at Keyaki Mall had been crowded with people ever since a few days ago. The impact that the newly released movie had and equipment troubles may have had something to do with that.

Of course, I could not see the figure of Ibuki anywhere here. Perhaps she simply has no interest in a 3D anime produced by an overseas film company, or perhaps she simply predicted this crowd and avoided it...she'll probably come and watch it later.

Having been issued the tickets we had all booked in advance, handing over the ticket's stub we entered.

"T-That's right, Karuizawa-san. I'd like you to accompany me to the toilet".

"That's right. The screening's going to start soon".

Saying that, Satou dragged Karuizawa slightly forcefully and headed off towards the toilet.

Only me and Hirata were left.

".....how should I put it, good job".

The first word that came out was an honest one like that. Hirata is letting his precious Christmas go to waste just to accompany Karuizawa, who he's only in a fake relationship with. I honestly respect him for that. Or could it be he also holds some genuine feelings towards Karuizawa, could something like that also be possible?

"Karuizawa-san's the classmate I first thought I had to save no matter what, you see".

From the look in his eyes, I could tell that he did not see Karuizawa as a romantic partner. It was the eyes of Hirata Yousuke, who puts in an effort daily for the sake of his classmates.

"I'm really grateful to you, Ayanokouji-kun. Regarding the matter with Karuizawa-san".

"I don't recall having done anything be thanked for though".

"I'm really thankful for the fact that during the shipboard test, you and Karuizawa-san happened to be placed in the same group. She's now able to walk on her own without my existence beside her".

Hirata then sighed a sigh of relief, almost as though he had slowly put down a baggage he'd been carrying.

"That hasn't happened yet, has it?".

"Is it because I'm still acting out the role of her boyfriend?".

"Yeah".

Mentally speaking, Karuizawa has become stronger. She's grown. Hirata could sense it too. However, growth in the truest sense of the word lies there.

"That's only a matter of time, is what I think. Recently, communication between us has been dialed down to a bare minimum. Leaving aside exceptional patterns like today, I don't think I'm necessary to her anymore".

Certainly, as Hirata had sensed, it seems Karuizawa is already walking forward on her own. If it's not just something I've noticed but something a third party has also sensed then there's no mistaking it.

"I may be asking something uncouth here, but was this fine for Christmas?".

"Yeah. I am Karuizawa-san's boyfriend after all. At the very least up until now, I didn't have anything going on with any other girl. Probably, from now on as well".

"From now on as well?".

In regards to the future he has no way of knowing for certain, Hirata said that as though he were prophesizing it.

"You know, Ayanokouji-kun. As long as everybody around me is getting along with each other, I'm satisfied with just that".

"So that's why you're saying you don't need any romance?".

"That's right, I suppose. At the very least right now I feel that way".

He's blessed with such looks, such a personality and such skills and yet, it's such a shame.

"How about you, Ayanokouji-kun? Are you intending on going out with Satou-san?".

"No....".

I don't intend on doing such a thing, but if I deny it like that it would be the same as denying the very act of going on this date itself and so I stopped short.

"I wonder. I don't think anything of it right now".

I could not do anything else except answer with that.

"It may not be my place to say this after saying I'm not into romance myself but it may do you some good to try going out with someone, Ayanokouji-kun".

"You've never had a girlfriend before, right? Is that what you're trying to interject with here?".

"Hahaha, that's not it. Certainly I did think that you've never been in a relationship before but that's not because Ayanokouji-kun isn't popular right? Isn't it just because you've never found yourself a girl who could be your romantic partner, right?".

"Honestly if I had to say it's both. I had never been particularly popular and there was never a romantic partner for me either".

That is why romance can't possibly develop. In the White Room, there wasn't any rule expressly forbidding romance like there is for idols but things that would allow a romance to successfully be established absolutely didn't exist there. Playtime, holidays, such things didn't exist there. Other than toilet breaks and bath times, we were constantly monitored. A romantic development cannot conceivably occur.

"Isn't that way of living tiring? Always putting yourself second, to spend your school life for the sake of your class only?".

I tried throwing such an obvious question like that at him.

"Tiring? No such thing. On the contrary, for me, a class lacking in cohesion is far tougher. Honestly, the anxiety I had felt after enrolling has mostly abated".

That's because almost immediately after arriving at this school, Hirata had taken action to bring the class together as one.

On the uninhabited island, the class cohesion broke down majorly, and temporarily, a shadow had loomed over Hirata's mental state. However, recently to the point it was obvious even to me, Class D had begun to show off its cohesion. I could not see any sort of underhanded bullying going on in class too. Leaving aside the external factor that is Class C, however. Hirata Yousuke is an extremely important central figure for Class D. If Hirata had not been there, undoubtedly Class D would still be alone at the very bottom. However, Hirata also has a fragile......somewhat uncertain side to him.

The uninhabited island test had ended without any incident but should the collapse of the class go beyond what happened that time, there's no telling what would become of Hirata.

The reason I am thinking about this now is because the existence of Kushida is on my mind. Back during middle school, there had been a case where Kushida had caused the collapse of a class. And even now, in regards to Horikita, she's showing signs of doing the same.

In other words what it means is that if it becomes necessary for her, she may even airdrop a bomb like that onto our class. If such a thing were to occur, the burden it would place on Hirata's heart would be quite substantial.

If the central figure stops functioning, there's no telling what might happen to the currently united Class D. Having checked that those two have not yet returned, I decided to talk about something slightly different.

"How much do you know about President Nagumo, Hirata?".

Since they belonged to the same club, even amongst the 1st years, he should be the one to know something about Nagumo. I had judged that with this timing, it would be easy to ask him.

"I wonder. I only met him as one of my seniors in the club, I don't usually meet him you see. And what's more, when he assumed the office of student council president, most of that only involved exchanging greetings".

"Then whatever impressions and such you have of him is fine too".

I changed my angle slightly like that and tried asking again.

"As for my first impression of him, an interesting senpai, I suppose. Even during soccer practice, he progressively adopted novel ideas, that sort of person. Naturally, it's not like everything went well all the time but ultimately, he was interesting, was how I thought of him. Even though practice was supposed to be a harsh and brutal affair".

Hirata then laughed as though remembering the scene of that practice.

"In the end, he always produces results or rather, levels up. Even before we enrolled, it seems Nagumo-senpai's been producing results even in tournaments".

"I see. So it means he's a perfect senpai".

"That is, once again a slightly different matter".

I had thought he would have affirmed it, but Hirata shook his head.

"In the shadow of that glory, there are also hardships accompanying it. It seems there are plenty of people who have quit the club".

"But there haven't been any bad rumors, have there?".

"Isn't that because they are no longer in this school? The 2nd year seniors who came into conflict with Nagumo-senpai all ended up quitting the club, and soon afterwards, dropping out of school as well it seems".

"So it's not just the club they quit, but they also dropped out of school?".

"I don't know the details either. I don't know how much Nagumo-senpai was involved in it".

It may just be that Nagumo was only part of a long chain of events. It is also highly possible that those students dropped out of school for personal reasons.

However, it is also a fact that this makes me uneasy. That's because the older Horikita had also said something similar. That Nagumo thoroughly eliminates any existence that's an obstacle to him.

That as a result, the 2nd years have become monolithic. If Nagumo is the light, then anyone who opposes him would be the darkness. He did thoroughly crush said darkness, but the world is not that simple. At the end of a light, there is always a shadow. No matter how much one attempts to eliminate it, it would only result in new shadows forming.

"Could it be, Ayanokouji-kun is intending on joining the student council?".

From the flow of the conversation thus far, it couldn't be helped even if that is Hirata's inference.

"No, I have no such intention".

I made that clear to him. Even if the end result was Horikita declining to join the student council, me entering the student council would absolutely not happen. But there is a need to think of countermeasures. Unlike simply asking for a small favor, joining the student council would have a massive impact on one's daily life as well. If it's Karuizawa, she would definitely obey such an order, but looking at it in terms of pros and cons, it's obvious that she's not suitable for that. Following my orders, and on top of that, being someone who could join the student council of their own merits without it coming off as strange. There's barely anyone who could overcome all three of those hurdles.

"I see, I do think if it's Ayanokouji-kun, you'll be able to pull it off though".

"That's my line, Hirata. You yourself are a good fit for the student council, you know".

"I'm not a good fit, and besides, I don't want to quit my club activities".

It seems until graduation, Hirata has no intention of quitting soccer. If Hirata would have joined the student council, there was the possibility that the cards available to me would have increased by one, though.

But I won't hound him on that matter here.

Because I have no intention of changing from my outfield position.

"Leaving aside the student council business, starting from next month, we'll probably be in a difficult position".

"That is, you mean to say, because we'll be ascending to Class C?".

"Yeah, the upper classes will be cautious of us and the lower class will pursue us too. Not to mention the difference between the class points is being bridged. If we mess it up, once February comes around, we may drop back down to Class D".

It's natural to have such misgivings.

Class points change almost on a monthly basis. If even a trivial mistake were to be made, a development like the one Hirata predicted might even come to pass.

"Should such a time come to pass, the problem is whether or not we can put in the effort".

"I do think everyone does want to ascend all the way up to Class A, though".

"Even if a colossal amount of effort and luck would be required for that to happen, do you think those feelings of theirs would remain unchanged?".

"That's the problem isn't it? Ultimately to aim for the upper classes would mean exposing the class to a massive burden".

If one can choose freely, then naturally everyone would choose Class A.

That is something even someone completely uninterested in the conflict between classes like Kouenji would choose. However, there is a difference in the conditions that are required for Class A and the other classes.

"I'm-------".

Just as Hirata was about to continue, a voice called out to us.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ayanokouji-kun!".

Although we were still in the middle of our conversation, Satou and Karuizawa had returned. Since the screening of the movie is about to begin, we cut our conversation off and together, the four of us headed inside the theater.