3.3

Mii-chan came to my room at almost the exact time I had planned. I really wanted to send Kei back to her room a little earlier, but we were in the middle of something. I wanted to have a few more minutes to get ready, but I had to be careful not to change Mii-chan's mind.

"Don't hesitate to come in."

"Sorry to bother you...!"

Mii-chan couldn't hide her nervousness, but there was no pretense of turning back. From the little I saw of her, I could tell that she was trying very hard to get up on her own. Unlike Haruka and Kushida, she didn't want to stay where she was.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." She politely declined, and sat down on the carpet in a reserved manner.

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

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

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

"Also, I'd like to know what's going on in class. Shinohara-san, Matsushita-san, Hasebe-san... At least the ones who are hurting much more than I am. And also about Ayanokōji-kun."

I didn't expect my name to be mentioned here, I suppose it isn't surprising. From her perspective, it looks like I've cut off one of my friend groups with my bitter decision.

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

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

She sees the messages and calls, but never checks them. Otherwise she'd be tempted to look at them.

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

It's not often that two people talk to each other alone like this. We don't need to talk smoothly, but we can't solve things if we are reserved. It's better to find a way to get to know each other a little better.

"Well, you know, I'd like to talk about the matter with Kushida-san… Ah, but before that... just to confirm, was it Ayanokōji-kun who bought and placed various things in front of my room?"

Mii-chan explains to me, as if to supplement my lack of understanding. There was a person who delivered food to her once a day after she started taking a break from school. There was a piece of paper with only Mii-chan's room number written on it, but nothing to identify the sender.

For a moment, Yōsuke came to mind, but there was no mention of him in the vicinity of Kushida and Haruka. Yōsuke treats his classmates equally, but if he were to offer it to Mii-chan, he would have done the same for the other students, and he would have told me about it in the several times we had met.

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

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

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

Some of them message her, some of them call her, some of them bring her gifts. Or even if they don't contact her, there will be plenty of students around her who are worried about her.

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

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

If she's not in contact with the outside world, it's not surprising that she doesn't even know for sure that I'm attending. Of course, you wouldn't expect someone who claims to consult with you to be sleeping away themselves. 

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

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

"That's a difficult question to answer isn't it? I've never been one to lead my classmates on before, and I'm sure everyone was surprised by my actions in pushing my friend out of school."

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

She is straightforward and honest, and frankly states what she feels.

There is no point in talking about the superiority or inferiority of friends and classmates here, or their priorities. Such things were explained in the special exam, and it's not something to dig up now.

"It's just that I was never good at letting my emotions out, and no one noticed that. I think the only reason I can go to school now without missing a day is because I think it's uncool."

"I've thought about that a bit too. I don't like the idea that by taking a day off I'm illustrating what Kushida-san said, that I'm hurting, and that people will know that. On Monday morning, I changed into my uniform and went to the door. But I couldn't take the next step, and after taking a day off, the door became more and more distant and heavy. It's all my fault, though..." Then, as if remembering, Mii-chan bowed her head. "I'm sorry I missed a week because of this."

"You don't need to say these things to me. It must have taken a reasonable amount of courage for you to come here. Besides, you haven't completely given up on going to school, have you?"

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

Secret thoughts. I'm not sure how many students were aware of it, but if it was exposed in a more public way, it's understandable that she would be deeply hurt.

"I can't say that I can understand the position you're in, or that I can replace you. But at least our classmates are worried about you."

"Yes..."

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

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

It's easy to put up words that are pleasing to the ear, but they only have the effect of postponing the conclusion. The side may seem like a rough treatment from the outside, but it works to touch the heart. 

"But fortunately, right now, Kushida and Haruka haven't surfaced. But next week, we won't know. What will happen if those two come to school and only you remains absent? Do you understand?"

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

She nodded her head, her arms trembling slightly, as if fear was rising in her. If the stimulation was too strong, she wouldn't take it easy, but surprisingly, there was no sign of danger. She was small and timid, but I judged that her core was relatively strong and would not be easily broken.

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

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

"Oh, by the way, when we were changing seats, you were the first one to grab the unpopular middle seat. Was that because you thought that Yōsuke would take the seat behind you?"

"Fuu..!"

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

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

"Ugh, this is embarrassing..." She hugged her knees and shook her face sideways. Apparently, shame is a stronger issue. "Well, did Hirata-kun say anything about me… Do you think he cares?"

She steps into the part that must have been bothering her all along. But her face was hidden behind her knees so that I couldn't peek at her.

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

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

As the party in question, it was natural that Yōsuke would be more concerned than about the other issues.

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

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

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

Yōsuke can be happy for someone else's happiness as if it were his own. On the other hand, when someone is unhappy, he feels unhappy as if it were his own. That's the kind of personality he has. Yōsuke is also suffering because of Mii-chan's own seclusion.

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

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

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

Apparently, I didn't have to teach her from scratch, but just giving her a chance to reflect was enough. When looking at her as a sophomore in high school, it was safe to say that the student named Mii-chan was almost complete.

"Your expression is different from earlier."

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

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

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

She told me firmly and bowed deeply.

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

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

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

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

"Also, I'm worried about the person who's been supplying me with food, because I've made them do a lot of shopping over the past five days, and I think the total amount is close to 10,000 points."

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

As she was leaving, she kept thanking me repeatedly, so I ushered her to leave quickly. 

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

She's too polite even to her classmates. Although, that can be considered one of Mii-chan's strengths.  Now that I've solved one problem, I'd better finish what I left in my room. The number of students visiting my room has been increasing lately, so I can't afford to be complacent.

I can't afford to be distracted, as I'm sure that Horikita, Yōsuke or any other student could come and visit me at any time. Just as I had resumed my quick cleanup, the doorbell rang again.

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

An unannounced visitor. That's extremely bothersome timing. 

I'll try to stay silent for a while. In some cases, I could have used the answering machine. But about 30 seconds later, the doorbell rang once again.

It was dusk, and after turning off the lights in the room, I decided to slide the lid of the peephole and look through the hole into the hallway, killing any sign of my presence.

The person I least wanted to see was standing there, a freshman named Amasawa Ichika.

Thinking back, this had happened to me sometime ago. I remember that day, too, the timing of her was bad, and I didn't want her to come inside. Seeing that she was wearing her school uniform even though it was Saturday, I wondered if she was visiting school. Should I view her visit as a mere appearance or as a deliberate act?

Considering what happened last time, I couldn't help but wonder if it was intentional this time as well. She obviously knew I was in the room and came to visit me.

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

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

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

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

"That's not going to happen. I've heard that my senpai is doing something bad with the girls, so I've come to investigate. If you don't open the door, we'll have a problem!"

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

If I let her speeches go unchecked, the neighbors would eventually hear the commotion. I had no choice but to open the door and face Amasawa.

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

"I'm the source of that information."

"That's a totally unreliable source."

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

It wasn't just a hunch. She didn't hesitate to mention the names of both of them. Even if she could have guessed Kei at random, that would not be the case with Mii-chan. She clearly knows my movements.

"Oh, I'd like to reassure you that I didn't plant any listening devices in your room, okay? The school seems to be doing a thorough inspection."

It's true that you can't buy those kinds of nosy things through mail order. However, there is a way to obtain them, but only for Amasawa.

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

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

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

Before I could give her permission, Amasawa walked into the room with the momentum of taking off her shoes. She then began scurrying around the room without reservation.

"What are you doing here?"

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

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

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

"You're probably wondering how I was able to guess about Wang-senpai, right? Did I happen to see her come and go, or do I know her in some way?"

"Do you always go into people's rooms to brag about your own information network?"

Quickly affirming without denying, Amasawa touched the bed with her hand. While fixing the wrinkles in the sheet, she was searching for something with her fingertips in every corner.

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

"Senpai's girlfriend has long hair, doesn't she? That means you like girls with long hair, right? That's why I'm growing mine out little by little."

She continued to move her hands and eyes while talking about her hair, which I hadn't even asked her about. I couldn't force her to stop, so I had no choice but to watch her, when she suddenly stopped moving.

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

"What's this?"

She holds up a strand of long, golden hair as if it were the head of a demon.

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

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

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

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

Then she got down on all fours on her knees on the floor and started looking at the floor like a detective, searching for something.

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

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

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

"Don't you have any doubts, senpai? Those, who were sent to this school in order to get you expelled, could still be blending into everyday life without being noticed by my senpai?"

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

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

"I'm not interested."

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

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

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

After a short pause, Amasawa continued her search. With her back to me and her butt sticking out, her underwear was slightly visible through the short length of her uniform skirt.

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

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

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

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

As I keep my eyes on Amasawa, she pulls her face out of the bed and looks back at me, looking far too mature to be my kouhai, and crawls straight up to me.

"I think you're getting out of control, don't you? I think you're confusing the means with the end. That person is more concerned with getting his senior expelled than he is with getting himself back into the White Room."

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

A sweet smell reaches my nostrils.

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

"For a senpai, yes it is. So I've been thinking about it lately. I've been thinking that it would be better if I told my senpai, who I really adore, and ask him to lead me away~"

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

"Fufufu~ that's hilarious."

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

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

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

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

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

"If their identity leaks out from an unexpected source, you'll be the first one to be suspected. What will be the result of that?"

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

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

I wouldn't show any mercy if she stood in my way as an enemy, but Amasawa doesn't seem to be doing that at the moment.

"You're very kind, senpai."

Besides, trusting her too much in a bad way is also a problem. If she was acting with some strategy, I couldn't deny the possibility that this statement of Amasawa's was also a trap.

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

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

"Hmmm I wonder..." Laughing devilishly, Amasawa quickly turned her attention to the burnable garbage bag that didn't contain much in the kitchen as she tried to head for the door.

"I've visited your room a few times, but today you take out very little garbage, don't you? I thought you were the type to fill the bag to the brim with garbage like this and then throw it away."

"It's just that there's so much food waste from vegetables and fish that I'm not comfortable leaving it until next week."

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

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

"I see you're following the law."

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

"I see a little of the purpose for which you came here today. You've come to visit me to make your current proposal. The reason you were searching every inch of the room was because you were wary that someone else might be listening in."

The fact that she pretended to ransack and find something private about me personally was all because she was on the lookout. Amasawa was wary that the White Room students had already done what she feared.

"Senpai, oh senpai. I'm sure senpai will be fine, but still, if I'm expelled from school, please consider that something unexpected is going to happen to you as well." On her way out, Amasawa left the room with those words.

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

That was good news for a start. As a member of the group, he might have succeeded in convincing Haruka to come to school. The problem is that the message was not sent in the group chat of the Ayanokōji Group. After staring at the screen for a while, a new text was sent to me.

The text itself was plain and simple: 

[Please keep a quiet eye on Haruka for a while.]

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

She'll go to school, but she doesn't want to talk to me. If I talk to her carelessly, she might not go to school again. I guess that's the reason. I have no objection at all if she comes back to school.

[All right. I'll be very careful.]

[Thank you. I hope you can be friends again.]

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

"Another problem solved..."

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

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

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

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