Chapter 2 Part III

Now, perhaps it's the fault of the strange waiting time but my shoulders were feeling unusually stiff. There were unforeseen entanglements with Sakayanagi and Ibuki too, so I don't feel like taking a detour in going back. As I left the movie theater intending on heading back, a voice called out to me from behind.

"Hey, wait. Do you think you can just keep on hiding your identity from your surroundings like this?".

It's Ibuki. After chasing me all the way here I was wondering what she had to say, but it's just that.

"Haven't you been paying attention to the conversation? You should keep what happened at that time locked away inside you".

"This isn't a joke. All this time, in your mind you've been ridiculing me".

I cannot forgive that, is something she doesn't even need to say, it's written all over Ibuki's face. It seems her dissatisfaction towards my conduct, words and ideas earlier had grown further.

"Then what are you going to do about it? Will you try spreading it around?".

".....I won't do that. I won't be the only one in trouble then, right?".

"That's right. Depending on the situation, not only the members who were there on the rooftop but also Manabe and the others will be caught up in it".

If they follow the chain of circumstances all the way back, the school side may even trace it back to me. However, I can come up with as many excuses as necessary. The very most they would be able to achieve is get me suspended from school.

"In the first place, conflict between classes is the foundation of this school. You're barking up the wrong tree by blaming me".

It's only troublesome even if she expects me to fight fair and square here.

"I get it, I get it....it's just physiologically speaking, I cannot accept you".

As I analyzed this girl known as Ibuki Mio, I could see Ibuki has yet to take a single step towards adulthood. In all likelihood, she's practiced martial arts ever since she was a child and has continued to take pride in her own strength. During childhood, there is barely any difference between males and females as far as strength is concerned. Therefore, as long as she possesses the proper technique, it is fairly easy to acquire the power needed to overwhelm the opposite sex. However, as one ages, this becomes progressively more difficult and around the time one hits middle school, the gap between the potentials of the bodies grow. If one considers only the strength of the body, then it can be said that there is nothing at which females are superior to than males.

This is not discrimination, but a genuine gap that exists. Of course, considering your average high school student, Ibuki could be categorized as being fairly strong. A man without any martial arts training could not possibly hope to compete against her. However, against a man whose potential is the same as or surpasses hers who has also undergone the same level of training, it is unfortunate but there is no way for her to win. People naturally learn such facts. But Ibuki is still a 1st year high school student. She probably has yet to acknowledge that wall of difference.

"Going all quiet like that, what are you thinking about?".

"I was wondering how I can resolve this peacefully".

"So? Did you think of anything?".

"Unfortunately I couldn't think of any way. No matter what I say, you don't seem like you'd accept it".

For the first time today, just slightly, Ibuki loosened the corners of her lips.

"Correct. I won't accept it, I won't withdraw".

As I expected...

In order to unravel this inexplicable puzzle, a frontal attack may be what's needed.

"By the way.....do you happen to like movies quite a bit?".

"Huh?".

It's natural that Ibuki would take a 'What the hell are you asking me' attitude. However, I ignored that attitude and continued.

I daringly tried unleashing an ordinary topic of discussion.

"To the point you came to watch this movie alone. Not to mention it's a fairly minor movie".

"Isn't that fine? I have my own objective".

I was hindered by that mysterious expression.

"Objective?".

".....To watch every movie that's being screened in this school. It's not such a significant objective".

No, that's surprisingly an amazing thing. Everyone, in regards to this school lifestyle, have brought with them an objective they've decided on themselves. To make friends. To always go out on a holiday. To graduate without being absent or late a single time. To continue getting 1st place on tests.

From simple things to achieve to the more difficult ones. Even amongst them, what Ibuki brought with her, 'to watch every movie that is being screened' is something that seems simple at first glance yet I believe is one of the more difficult ones. Naturally it'll be easier to go watch the movies you like, but for genres in which you're not interested, it would be harder to get yourself to go and watch them. The majority of people would think of such an objective only as a pastime. However, no matter what, anything at all, to establish an objective and to follow through with it is surprisingly a precious thing.

"....what, are you mocking me?".

"I wonder".

Having interpreted my silence in a bad way, Ibuki glares at me. I could have honestly praised her too, but I dared not do so. This is a bit of a bother for me too. In any case, it would be for the better for me to split with Ibuki quickly. If I stick with her any longer, we may be witnessed together unnecessarily by the other students.

"So what are you going to do now? Shall we have tea together?".

"Stop joking. I'm leaving".

Obviously she did not accept my invitation. I had already known I would be rejected. But to keep up that flow I continued on with my words.

"Then you'll go right, I'll turn left. And with that we'll adjourn for today".

As I said that, I pointed out the roads to the left and right. If the both of us walk off in separate directions, not a single problem would occur. This is the ideal path.

"What? I also want to get away from you without a second's delay. You don't even have to tell me".

Our love seemed to be perfectly mutual, as Ibuki immediately turned right. I too, turned my back towards Ibuki and moved towards the left. However---

I had my arm grasped from behind. Ibuki was pulling on my arm.

"Oi, what is it?".

"Shut up. Ishizaki and the others are coming this way".

As though to hide, she dragged me off into the shadows, and then quietly observed the situation. Then, with a slight delay, as I followed Ibuki's gaze, I saw Komiya and Kondou with Ishizaki at their center.

Just up until now, Ryuuen should have been amongst them but of course he was not present there.

"Is Ishizaki ok? He still seems unsteady on his feet".

"Shut up. He's already fine".

But perhaps his entire body is in pain, Ishizaki walks while distorting his expression in agony at times. Seeing such a situation, Komiya anxiously looked around and said.

"Speaking of which, that thing earlier.....that you fought with Ryuuen-san, is that for real?".

"....yeah. Albert and Ibuki were with me too. Ryuuen-san's....no, Ryuuen's time is up. From now on, that Ryuuen bastard won't be ordering anyone around anymore".

"That is a relief, but you know. Who's going to be making the strategies from now on?".

"As if I know. Kaneda will probably take care of it".

As they exchanged such words, the three of them passed by in front of us.

"Fuu. They didn't notice us".

Ibuki relaxes. She probably did not want her classmates to see her alone together with me. Especially Ishizaki, since there's no telling what kind of reaction he would have towards that. However, Ishizaki's words that we heard had indeed reached our ears.

"...a mail came to me from Ishizaki a while ago. That Ryuuen guy, he didn't quit school after all".

"Is that so?".

As I said it like it was someone else's business, Ibuki drew close.

"You did something. If not, it's hard to imagine that Ryuuen would change his mind".

"Even if I did something to stop him, didn't you try to stop him?".

From the slip of her tongue and her attitude as well as her tone, I had a feeling that was the case but it seems like I'm spot on.

"I hate Ryuuen to death. But, the fact that someone like you, who's not even our classmate, had such a strong impact on him is something I hate even more and cannot forgive".

"It's precisely because I am an outsider, that I could impact him. And vice versa, what I cannot do would be something you would be able to do. Just like how Ishizaki is intending on carrying out his duty".

Even though it was an interaction overheard as they passed by, it's not too difficult for me to guess what had happened. Chivalry, is what they'd call it I suppose. I could tell that Ishizaki, too, even though he started out hating Ryuuen, is doing this as a courtesy to him.

"...do you really think so? Isn't it just because you can stand above Ryuuen and make an appeal that way?".

Ibuki said that without obediently acknowledging Ishizaki's idea. But that's just a leading question. Ibuki is aiming to draw out what thoughts I truly have on the matter. Ibuki's eyes are saying as much.

"Right back at you, do you really think so?".

That's why I decided to return the question as it is to her.

"...I should say no, but, we were thoroughly oppressed. Even if it was three of us, the fact that he defeated Ryuuen should inevitably cause Ishizaki's evaluation in the class to rise".

"I see. You could also look at it that way".

As I nodded as though I had been convinced, she lightly kicks me on the back of my knee.

"Can't you dodge this?".

"Hey look, I'm not an esper or anything you know. I can't dodge everything".

Even though Ibuki was suspicious, she did not pursue the matter any further.

"So what did you think about it, Ishizaki's remarks?".

Perhaps she was dissatisfied with just having her opinions asked, but she asked me like that.

"Even if I say I disliked it, it would mean I still have acknowledged his ability".

The downsides of having Ryuuen expelled, Ishizaki may have been able to sense it from experience. While drafting the plot that Ryuuen came up with, they had a falling out, that would be the case. Not once speaking out openly about what happened with me, he seems to be honorably upholding the promise. Of course, this is all a part of my calculations, but there had been no absolute guarantee. Leaving aside now, the possibility that he would change his mind tomorrow and reveal everything is not zero. Even about Karuizawa's matter, if he felt like spreading it around it could be spread around.

"Albert probably won't say anything but how long do you think Ishizaki will keep quiet?".

Ibuki is also aware of that, that's why she tried to confirm the situation by using that as a provocation.

"If he speaks out, then he speaks out. I'm thinking about what to do then".

"...ahh, I see".

Since I showed neither surprise nor agitation, it seems Ibuki immediately lost her interest. In any case, Ishizaki and the others are gone. Now I can finally split up with-----

I crouched down instantly and lowered my head a few dozen centimeters. At that very moment, Ibuki kicked the space my head had been occupying at a high speed.

"...so much for not being able to dodge. You dodged it, didn't you?".

"It was a kick from the front after all. More like, you kicked me with all your strength didn't you?".

A roundhouse kick from an experienced martial artist. If it had been a direct hit, a concussion would have been unavoidable.

"Even though you're so strong, you won't let even a bit of it out. Why?".

"Do you usually go around announcing your strength to everyone?"

"That's...".

"Whether we're talking about martial arts or whatever, as long as there's no opportunity for you to use it, you won't receive acknowledgement from someone. Unlike Sudou, Ishizaki and the others, I'm not the vigorous, enthusiastic type".

"Fight me".

"What did you say?".

"I said fight me again. Let me fight you when you're serious and going all out".

Perhaps she simply could not let go of that matter, Ibuki once again switched into battle mode. If only Ishizaki and the others had not shown up, I could have easily split up from her.....

"How did it even end up like this?".

"I hate you. I hate that you're using your front face and your back face for different purposes".

"I see".

It's because for better or for worse, she's seen guys like Ryuuen and Ishizaki. Ibuki is the same too. Leaving aside the fact that she acted the role of a spy on the uninhabited island, the real Ibuki is the same.

"I've always had this sort of personality, so you have no right to hold a grudge against me. Even if I say that, it's useless isn't it?".

"Useless".

And with those two characters, she denied it.

"Leaving aside what's happened up until now, unless I get payback for what happened on that rooftop I won't be satisfied".

No matter what I say, it doesn't seem like she's going to be listening. Now that Ibuki has recovered, she's thinking of pursuing a chance at victory. It would be a simple task for me to just run away here but once the 3rd semester begins and she pushes the matter the same way as now it would be far more troublesome. Naturally, Ibuki also catches onto that.

"Once the semester starts and I carelessly interact with you, that would just mean more trouble for you, wouldn't it?".

Even if she doesn't directly spread it around, simply by sticking with someone from a different class, our surroundings would get suspicious of us. Is that really fine with you? It's a somewhat forceful threat that's saying something like that.

If I had to say, that too is something akin to 'spreading it around' but Ibuki seems like she wishes to deny that is the case.

"If you want me to withdraw, you have no other choice but to fight me again".

Even if she says that one word, 'fight', it can have several meanings.

"You're not saying you want to fight through Go and Shogi, are you?".

"I don't know the rules for either one of those".

That is truly unfortunate. I was confident in my skills for the both of those.

"The way to settle the fight is already obvious, isn't it?".

Saying that, she took a fighting stance inside the mall packed with pedestrians. I don't even have to think, it's that sort of thing. She surely must have been deciding things to be black or white through this means.

"....perhaps, it might be that nothing will change".

"Hah. Are you saying even if we fight, the result won't change?".

Perhaps my words left her uneasy, but as though she were about to burst a vein, Ibuki curled her lips. Her lips, which had been relaxed just a moment ago, now seemed like a far off memory.

"Not just the result, even Ibuki's own way of thinking".

It seems like she also understands based on the way she lost on the rooftop that even if she gets a rematch, the result of it will not change. However, no matter in which manner her loss had been, there's no mistaking the fact that Ibuki was not satisfied with it. It has nothing to do with males and females.....it's probably just that she doesn't want to acknowledge her defeat.

'Then you win'. Even if I say that, it'll only amount to pouring oil on a fire.

"In the end, you won't accept the fight, will you?".

Of course, ordinarily there's no way I'd accept. Especially since I'm tired right now, I genuinely don't wish to take any unnecessary action. But---

"Do you have time?".

I called out like that to Ibuki without rejecting her.

"....nothing in particular. Other than the movie, I don't really have anything scheduled. Could it be you're accepting?".

Obviously, Ibuki who hadn't expected me to agree, was left confused. In fact, it seemed as though she were taking a step back.

"Was it a joke?".

"No such thing. If you're going to be accepting, then that's just how I like it".

Although she had been surprised, Ibuki immediately snaps back. It seems as though she wants to start the fight right away and she's leaning forward.

But we can't afford to do that. There are a lot of people going in and out of Keyaki Mall. It's a place that's far too conspicuous.

"You're accepting? Declining?".

"I wonder what I should do. I mean, this place is too conspicuous isn't it? Even if we fight as you proposed, what'll you do about the location?".

This is Keyaki Mall. There are countless eyes watching us. Furthermore, if we are to avoid being seen by anyone, there's no avoiding a change of location. But even if I say that, the school grounds is also basically out of the question. During this winter vacation, there's no telling who has eyes where. At this point there's no other choice than to move to our rooms inside the dormitory but a fight there cannot possibly be arranged, Ibuki also understands that.

".....search. We'll search from now".

"There's no option to simply give up, is there?".

"By meeting here you're already doomed".

Saying that, Ibuki turned her back on me and started walking. It seems she wants me to follow her.

"What will you do if I run away?".

"I'll run after you, catch up to you and when I find you, I'll dropkick you on the spot".

So it seems to be the case. Suppressing my urge to run, I followed her.

"I'll say this ahead of time but the main premise of this conversation is that we find a suitable location".

"I know such a thing already".

As long as she acknowledges that, for now I'll accept it. If she cannot find an isolated place, then this conversation too should be water under the bridge. Compared to me onesidedly rejecting her, Ibuki won't do anything reckless that way. I'm taking action based on that reading. Even though I'm a few meters behind Ibuki, who's walking ahead, I don't want to act together for long with her.

Then, Ibuki desperately walks around Keyaki Mall. She looks around to see if there is an isolated blind spot somewhere. But she won't find one easily. There are places inside the mall where students cannot approach to an extent, but there are surveillance cameras there. And besides, even if students aren't there, employees will inevitably be present.

But this would be the case even if we were to leave the mall. It would be a different story if we were behind a school building but as long as we cannot enter without our uniforms, that too, would be impossible.

It would be strange if we went out of our ways to change into our uniforms and meet up again, and if other students were to see us entering the school together, that in itself is already similar to a failure. I went along with her provocations in anticipation of that but as I thought, it was the right move.

"Let's give up already, shall we? In the first place, a blind spot in this school is---".

"Wait a minute".

She interrupts me. Perhaps she had thought of a good idea but she turned her eyes in a certain direction. What Ibuki was looking at was a door with glass windows fixed on it with the words 'Only Staff Permitted' written on them.

Conveniently enough, perhaps the staff inside was working, but he came out of there along with a flatcar. Wearing yellow aprons with the nameplate 'Kimura' written on them. And in a large font, the characters Keyaki Mall Pharmacy were printed on them. On the flatcar, there were three corrugated cardboards which looked like they contained goods. He was pushing that flatcar and heading towards the pharmacy inside the mall. In all likelihood, he were restocking their goods.

"Follow me".

"Oi that place is---".

As she called out to me like that, Ibuki placed her hand on the door. Opening the door, it looks like this is a warehouse where goods are stockpiled. There were no staff present, it was a dimly lit space with only minimal lighting turned on. Looking at the cardboard boxes, it seems candies and gauzes and the such were packed into them. As I thought, all goods belonging to the pharmacy. The heater is not working and it's slightly chilly.

"If it's here, no one will see us. Am I wrong?".

Indeed, in a place like this meant for exclusive use by the staff, there are no surveillance cameras installed. However, isn't this usually a place that should have been locked.

I can hardly imagine a place like this would normally be left wide open. So this could mean an employee had coincidentally forgotten to lock this place? Or it could be that they expected to be back in no time and so left without bothering to lock it. No matter which one it is, staying too long in a place like this would only lead to trouble. The very fact that a student would be here is nothing but unnatural. If we're discovered, there's no avoiding a scolding.

"It's not a big deal, right? Just say we came in here by mistake and that'll be the end of it. It'll be a different story if we steal something but luckily we don't have any bags we could hide anything in either, we're completely empty-handed".

Certainly we'll be able to make an excuse but....it seems Ibuki's desire to settle this no matter what is rather strong.

It means she's more or less willing to take risks. Even if she understands the result already, 'perhaps', that feeling absolutely won't vanish.

"It's not much but in such a confined space, we can't fight, can we?".

This is not much different from the dormitory room I had initially thought of.

"I don't really mind though?"

As long as it fulfills the condition of no one seeing us, it seems she has no intention of asking for any luxuries.

"Even if you say that.....if the staff from earlier come back immediately what'll you do?".

And besides, normally places like this are locked down to prevent people from wandering in. There aren't much chances of the goods being stolen, but the probability of that happening isn't zero.

Perhaps they didn't lock it down since they were intending on coming back here afterwards, or perhaps they had simply forgotten. Either way, there's no way no one would drop by for a long time.

"If we finish this before then, it's fine right?".

Not even listening to my opinion, such optimism.

As I desperately tried to propose a change of location, with a resounding 'Gashan' sound, I could hear it being locked.

"It seems there's a possibility of this heading in a bad direction, it seems like they forgot to lock this place down and came back to do that".

"There's no need to panic really".

"Look".

I urged Ibuki to look at the doorknob. Ibuki then dubiously looks at the doorknob too.

"...hey. How come there's no way to open the key?".

"For a glass window fixed door like this one, there are cases where there is no thumb turn on the interior. A thumb turn is, by the way, the way to open the key as you put it".

It is for crime prevention purposes that a thumb turn was not installed. Because if one smashes the glass, they can simply insert their hand through it and use the thumb turn on the interior to unlock the door.

"In other words, we can't get out?".

"That would be the case".

"What's with that? Every time I get involved with you, does it mean I'll end up trapped in a locked room? Ahh mou, remembering the elevator is only making me feel more nauseous".

"This time I'm completely unrelated. Isn't it because you entered this place?".

"Huh? Are you saying it's my fault?".

No, really, there's nowhere else for the responsibility to go but to Ibuki. Before it was the midsummer elevator, now it's midwinter. Strange things like this also happen.

"But even so, the circumstances are different compared to the time with the elevator. The composition of the glass seems to be nothing out of the ordinary, so in the worst case scenario, it's a simple enough matter to simply smash it".

"So that means in the worst case, we can still get out?".

"However, it would mean a third party would definitely end up knowing about it".

The fact that we had entered the warehouse would certainly end up being discovered.

"...fine. I'll just have you change your way of thinking and go with a positive outlook".

"I have a bad feeling about this though".

"That feeling is accurate. I've confirmed that if it's here, there'll be no one to get in our way".

As Ibuki looked back towards me, she took a fighting stance.

"I'll let you decide the rules. Until the opponent acknowledges their loss? Until they lose consciousness?".

This situation in which there is no escape, it seems Ibuki is intent on using it to her advantage. In a situation like this, even if I wanted to escape, that would not be possible.

"Then when the opponent declares they give up, that'd be their loss".

"...hold on. On second thought, I'll decide the rules".

"Oi".

"If we go with those rules, then before we even start fighting, you'll just acknowledge your loss won't you?".

Correct.

"That's why, whether I think it's a win or a loss. Until black and white are clearly decided we'll continue with this fight".

What an overbearing and unreasonable thing to say.

"I got it. I don't mind going along with that proposal of yours. However, since you're going around making up conditions, I'll have you agree to my one condition as well".

"What?".

"Once we've settled this, you are forbidden to challenge me ever again. Is that clear? Of course, if it's a legitimate fight in an exam set by the school, then I have no right to forbid you from that but at the very least, for a personal fight like this, I'll have you make this the last one".

".....in the first place I was intending on settling it all here".

It seems she has no complaints with that, as Ibuki slightly nodded and accepted it. If that's decided then all I can do is throw my switch on as well. From the rooftop incident to this, the continuation of this hand-to-hand combat was outside my expectations but it can't be helped.

On the contrary, the real problem lies after I have defeated Ibuki.

Let's end this quickly without dragging it out.

"You really are an annoying guy. You're prioritizing thoughts about getting out of here".

"The location matters after all, if they find out we've entered the warehouse it'll become a problem too".

The excuse that 'we entered by mistake' will not have a strong effect unless we contact them immediately. The fact that we entered the warehouse while the delivery of goods is taking a long time, is a heavy one.

Regardless of whether she had realized my feelings or not, Ibuki continued to kick away at me while being on her guard.

As I expected, her footwork is the core. It's not an easy task to continue dodging in this small warehouse. And on top of that, I'd like to avoid damaging the piled up cardboards too if possible. I also have my various expenses, and since I'm borrowing 'a sizable amount of private points' to Karuizawa as well, I'd like to avoid pointless expenditures.

However, I doubt a little counterattack here will be enough to break Ibuki's spirit. In a fight she's betting her pride on, she won't easily give up. But even if I knocked her unconscious, this would still be the case. Ibuki would still obstinately refuse to acknowledge her defeat.

A rule where the person in question would decide victory or defeat, a troublesome fight got forced onto me.

In order to win, I have to attack but I cannot afford to simply beat her down. If this were a fight to the death, I won't show any mercy either but this is just an unrelated fight without any benefits for me. Whether it be on her face or on her abdomen, I don't want to clumsily leave behind any scars and blotches on her. And if that is the case, then the number of techniques I can use on her will inevitably be limited. To force her to acknowledge her loss yet not injure her. A method to make both of those happen.

Of course, it's not like both of them are assured but.....I avoided Ibuki's kick with the bare minimum movement required. It's not my dominant hand, but I used my left hand.

Pan! And with a dry sound like that, I used my palm to smack Ibuki's forehead. A technique that utilizes the hard part on the base of one's palm to strike the opponent. It is possible to have the damage caused by it permeate into the interior of the target. Accompanied by an intense sound and pain, Ibuki collapsed backwards as though she were blown away.

"Ha-------".

The opponent, who had gotten hammered by that attack, without even knowing what hit her, had her consciousness shaken by the pain and the panic. If I had hit her with even a bit more force, she probably would have lost consciousness.

Recklessly, Ibuki poured everything she had into defeating the enemy in front of her. Even if it's easy for me to exterminate her consciousness, it's not so easy to exterminate her feelings.

".....are you telling me you didn't even need to take this seriously?".

Resisting her swaying field of vision, Ibuki holds her forehead in her hands while glaring at me.

"If you're also an experienced martial artist, then you should understand too".

"I do understand. I don't need something like that to be pointed out to me.....but, there are things I cannot accept".

That is, this fight with me in other words. Ibuki roared out words that didn't even sound like words and once again came kicking at me. The opening she gave me was by no means small, it was a kick that emphasized nothing but pure strength. It may be a one-hit surekill she's betting on, on top of understanding that she won't be hitting me through trickery.

Or could it be she's preparing for a counter through simultaneously hitting each other? Either way, I have no intention of letting her land that attack on me. I used my right hand to block Ibuki's kick and used my free left hand to grab Ibuki's throat.

"Gah....!".

A state where she would no longer be able to breathe comfortably. As though she were struggling, Ibuki used both her hands to grasp my left hand. She digs in with her nails and resists desperately, but my left hand did not even budge.

"Make your decision, Ibuki. Do you want to stop here, or pointlessly continue? If you choose the latter, there's no future for you".

If she would be convinced by such simple words, we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.

However, even so, in the end just one more time I decided to test Ibuki.

"Ryuuen showed it off. How about you, Ibuki? Do you have enough ability to show it off?".

"Guh!".

Ibuki glared at me with as much intensity as she had before. However---Ibuki's hands trembled and she slowy placed that hand on top of my left hand.

Ton, ton, ton. She weakly tapped me three times. From that gesture, and her closed eyes and the resigned look on her face I understand. I gently loosened my left hand and released Ibuki.

"Hah...hah. I didn't think you'd go easy on me just because I'm a woman, but you really showed me no mercy".

"You're not exactly an opponent I can go easy on, are you?".

And besides, if I had gone easy on her, Ibuki would have gone berserk even further. Well, it is true that I was barely trying in terms of using my abilities but that's another story.

The important thing is that I didn't look like I was holding back on her.

"Ahh mou. Why...?".

Even though she looked frustrated, it seems Ibuki had been allayed as she sat down in that spot.

"Fine. I just have to acknowledge it, right? It's your victory".

I don't even care about winning or losing but if Ibuki will be satisfied with that then I won't deny it. This reckless fight, too, had some meaning for the both of us.

"I've never seen someone as strong as you before, not even amongst adults. How did you even become this strong?".

"By practicing repeatedly every day. It's obvious for someone who understands martial arts, right?".

"Ahh, I see".

Having understood that I wasn't answering her seriously, Ibuki sighed as though she had given up.

"So? How did we get out from here now? I'm telling you to let me cooperate with you too".

"It's very simple".

From the school's site, I will call Keyaki Mall, or rather, the pharmacy inside it with my phone.

"Excuse me, is a clerk named Kimura-san there?.....yes, if he's there, please get him on the line if you wouldn't mind?".

Not long after, the clerk named Kimura answered the phone. I informed him of the fact that we were trapped in here.

"If it's like this, won't it become a problem?".

"That's right. There's no guarantee that we can through this without a penalty. To get this over with without making it a big deal, I'm going to have you act like a fool too, Ibuki".

Not too long after, the staff who had locked the door earlier, opened the door and entered. Then, upon spotting us in the warehouse, he proceeded to question us on why we entered and why we did not immediately contact them.

"Sorry, I got ecstatic on my date with her and ended up searching for an isolated place. I didn't realize this place would be locked".

I used the fact that we were on the cusp of Christmas, and played the part of the idiotic couple who ended up getting over excited. Naturally, even as a lie, I won't make the statement that we are 'lovers' because if the staff decide to report this to their superiors, it may be interpreted as a fabrication. I simply avoided making a direct statement like that, and only acted to make them think that way.

"Right, Mio? You should apologize too".

"H-Huh? What're you---".

Ibuki immediately responded to having been called by her first name, but I used my stare to shut her up. It's this sort of situation, she should understand that any verbal slips here could end up hurting us. Of course, I have thought about the off-chance that she would betray me and have prepared accordingly for it. In the worst case scenario, I'll receive damage too but I'll make sure she suffers more damage. I've made preparations to push more than half the responsibility for this onto Ibuki. Because it's difficult for me to prove that it was Ibuki who willfully entered this room.

"...I'm sorry".

Even though she seemed dissatisfied, Ibuki lowered her head.

Going along with that flow, I informed them that we have not touched any of the items. The male staff repeatedly and strictly cautioned against it, but blame also lies in the fact that they had forgotten to lock the door, and so this time it ended with the decision for them to not report to their superiors. This is also the reason I did not call just about any random staff in the mall, but specifically the person in question who forgot to lock the door, because I was aiming for this. After he let us go after lecturing us, the clerk named Kimura locked the door and returned to his work.

"Somehow we got through this".

".....you, in that one moment, you saw even the clerk's name?".

Even more than having her first name be called by me, she seems to be more interested in that.

"It wasn't intentional. It just happened to catch my eye".

"Ahh, I see".

Even though she was the one who asked me that, her response seems somewhat cold.

"In any case, I'll never get myself involved with you again. And with that, we'll come to an agreement".

"I'm thankful for that".

"But before that...just let me hear your opinion on one last thing".

"Opinion?".

"In order to ascend to Class A, one requires 20 million points individually, you know that right? In order for the whole class to do so, it'll be 800 million points. That ridiculous amount of private points, do you think it's possible to save that much up before graduation?".

"It's impossible. It's something everyone thinks about, yet gives up on in the end".

I replied to her immediately.

"I see. That's right, I guess".

"Is that the last thing you wanted to ask?".

"Yeah, it's over. See you".

Perhaps she had nothing more to say to me, but she shut up and walked off. And with this, I've cut off my connection to Ibuki, or I'd like to think that...but as long as we'll be together for 3 years, there will be a day where I would not be able to say this.

I had such a premonition.