『』『』『』『』『』
"I'm late."
Because of her earlier meeting with Kumagawa, Karuizawa was walking at a faster pace than usual. Students on winter vacation crowded Keyaki Mall, making it much busier than usual.
When she arrived at the cafe where they had agreed to meet, it was full, as expected. Thankfully, just as she entered, another group was about to leave, so she managed to secure a table for them.
As she sat down to wait, she took a deep breath and placed a hand on her chest.
Her heart wouldn't stop pounding.
Karuizawa tried to hide her exhaustion. No one could know about yesterday's torture on the rooftop. She had to act like her usual cheerful self, which was why she'd agreed to meet Satou, even though she could've turned down her invitation.
Perhaps it was because of what had happened on the rooftop yesterday, but for some reason, a growing sense of discomfort was slowly building inside her, as if something were gnawing away beneath her skin. Of course, she couldn't deny that much of her anxiety came from Kumagawa's words earlier, but she tried not to think about him for now.
If she kept thinking about the incident and her earlier meeting with Kumagawa, she felt like she might throw up on the spot.
After waiting for a while and playing with her phone, she noticed Satou entering the cafe.
"Ah, Karuizawa-san! Good morning!" Satou eyes sparkled as she waved from a distance. She must've just come from the salon or something, because her hair was beautifully styled.
"Did you wait long? Sorry for being late and inviting you out on such short notice," said Satou.
"Nah, it's no big deal."
"Whew! I'm so glad to hear that."
Satou then looked around and remarked, "Wow, it sure is packed in here. Good thing you managed to save us a seat."
"I wonder if any classes have exams over winter break." Karuizawa muttered.
"Hmm? What was that?"
"Nothing..."
Karuizawa wondered if there was some kind of trick at play here, especially since they the first-year students, had gone out to sea on a luxury cruise ship over summer break. But this time around, there didn't seem to be any special exams in the works.
Honestly, the lack of one was rather worrying. She wondered whether the school was simply being merciful by giving them winter break off, or if there would be some kind of exam waiting for them as soon as the new year started.
She certainly hoped not.
"By the way, Karuizawa-san, if you haven't eaten breakfast yet, go ahead and order anything you want. My treat, of course! Consider it an apology for being late," said Satou with a smile.
Taking her up on that kind offer, Karuizawa ordered an American scone and a café au lait.
"Anyway, what did you wanna talk to me about?"
If Satou was treating her to food, it had to be something pretty important. Of course, it could simply be an apology for being late, but considering their financial situation right now, she doubted that was the only reason.
"Y-yeah. Here's the thing. To tell you the truth, I... I'm gonna go on a date soon."
"A date?"
"Yeah," said Satou, her face turning red.
"....."
"....."
An awkward silence settled between them.
Was that why Satou had invited her here? To brag about going on a date?
She remembered that Satou had liked Hirata at the beginning of the year. Karuizawa knew that Satou had been jealous of her back then, even if she hadn't shown it. Still, Karuizawa hadn't paid much attention to it since Satou had never acted on those feelings.
So naturally, Karuizawa assumed that Satou was about to brag about having a boyfriend, or at least being close to getting one. Judging by her demeanor, that seemed pretty likely.
"Uh, so, with who?" It seemed like Satou had been waiting for her to ask.
"Well, with Ayanokouji-kun, actually. It's... pretty surprising, huh?"
"....."
Ayanokouji?
Hearing that name, Karuizawa felt a faint ringing in her ears, accompanied by a sudden wave of nausea. To distract herself, she picked up her scone and took a large bite, sending a few crumbs onto the tray. The American scone, which was supposed to be sweet, somehow tasted bitter in her mouth. The flaky pastry only made her mouth feel drier, adding to her discomfort.
"Karuizawa-san? Are you... okay?" Satou asked worriedly, noticing that Karuizawa had gone slightly pale.
"I'm... okay," Karuizawa answered. "Anyway, so you're going after Ayanokouji-kun, huh? That definitely is a surprise."
She already knew that Satou had been interested in Kiyotaka for a while now, but since they had never discussed it, this was probably the safest response.
"I know, right? I'm a little surprised too, actually. But remember that relay race during the sports festival? When I saw Ayanokouji-kun run, well, I felt my chest tighten. I guess that's when I started falling for him."
"You fell for him because he ran fast?"
"Well, the fact that he's athletic is definitely a plus, but aside from that, Ayanokouji-kun looked especially cool and handsome that day. His face can be pretty expressionless sometimes, but that gives him this mysterious vibe, right? Also..."
Karuizawa stopped listening halfway through.
Handsome?
Cool?
Mysterious?
The more Satou talked, the more uncomfortable she felt. But Satou really did look like a fairy-tale princess in love, which was why Karuizawa tried to swallow her discomfort.
"Are you okay, Karuizawa-san? You look pale. Are you feeling sick?"
Unfortunately, it seemed that some of her discomfort was showing on her face, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Just hearing Satou talk about him was enough to make her feel physically ill.
"...I'm okay," Karuizawa replied trying to brush it off. "Anyway, Ayanokouji doesn't really stand out, does he? I mean, this is you we're talking about, Satou-san. I'm sure lots of other guys would be great for you. I dunno, maybe a guy like Tsukasaki-kun from that other class?"
"Well, I think he's cool and all, but... I guess I just don't feel that way about him. Besides, it sounds like he's already going out with an upperclassman from his club."
"..."
It didn't seem like she only liked Kiyotaka for his looks—not that he could really compare to Tsukasaki-kun in that department. Still, Kiyotaka was among the top ten cutest boys in school, and Satou must've realized that too.
A good-looking partner was a status symbol. Dating a cool guy or a cute girl was enough to boost your reputation. When she started "going out" with Hirata, her popularity rose higher than she ever expected. If Satou started dating Kiyotaka now, her popularity might rise considerably in the near future. And if Kiyotaka ever revealed his true abilities, his reputation might even surpass Hirata's.
But the thought of Ayanokouji and Satou dating...
She didn't like it.
What she especially disliked was the thought of Ayanokouji finding happiness while she was still trapped in her own personal hell. She hated the idea so much that, rather than imagining the two of them together, she found herself wishing they would just stay apart.
She didn't want to see them getting along.
Deep down, she couldn't accept the thought of Ayanokouji being happy, especially when he was the very reason she'd ended up on that rooftop yesterday.
Ayanokouji's happiness.
Satou's happiness.
And she was the only one left out.
When she considered that...
When she thought about it...
She felt increasingly irritated.
She wanted to say something.
But in the end, she couldn't.
"Umm... Are you really okay, Karuizawa-san?" Satou asked worriedly, noticing Karuizawa's condition. Not only did she look slightly pale, but she also seemed like she might throw up at any moment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to come out if you weren't feeling well. Maybe we should just head back for today—"
"I told you I'm fine, didn't I?" Karuizawa replied, her voice carrying a hint of frustration despite her attempt to sound calm.
"Ah... okay."
It left Satou shocked and speechless.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence settled between them. Satou seemed unsure of what to say next, while Karuizawa simply looked away, realizing that she'd sounded harsher than she'd intended.
After a couple of minutes of awkward silence, Karuizawa finally managed to calm herself down and looked at Satou again, who seemed rather uncomfortable with the situation. It was understandable, considering she was the one who had invited Karuizawa out on such short notice, only for things to turn out like this.
"Sorry, Satou-san... I guess I'm just a little tired today. I didn't get much sleep last night, so I'm probably a bit more irritable than usual. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"Okay..."
"Anyway, back to the topic. I know this might sound weird, but are you seriously going for him? For real?" Karuizawa asked, putting on the skeptical tone that the "usual" Karuizawa Kei would use in this situation.
Hearing that, Satou previous awakard expression were now filled with determination.
"Yeah."
"Well, it's a good thing you found someone you like, right? Ayanokouji-kun should be single right now."
"That's right. That's why I thought this might be my chance. I felt like I had to hurry."
It was the oldest story in the book. You confessed your crush to a friend, only for that friend to snatch up the guy you liked. Karuizawa understood why Satou was being cautious, especially now that Ayanokouji had started attracting some attention after keeping up with the former student council president during the relay race. Satou probably figured Karuizawa was safe to confide in, since she already had a boyfriend who ranked higher than Kiyotaka in the class hierarchy.
"So, does our little chat have anything to do with your date?" Karuizawa asked.
Satou's eyes sparkled as she nodded. She looked disgustingly radiant right now. "Yes. I just, like, wanted to ask what makes a date successful. You know? I was wondering how you and Hirata-kun got together."
"It's not that big of a deal, honestly..."
"But it is a big deal to me. It's amazing! I totally respect you!" Satou grasped both of Karuizawa's hands in hers, seemingly forgetting all about the earlier awkwardness. That alone showed just how serious she was. "Please, teach me your ways! Your skills!"
"..."
Karuizawa had no idea what kind of answer she should give Satou.
At the start of the year, she had only just escaped the terrible bullying she'd endured throughout junior high. Determined to leave that hell behind and make her high school experience better, she'd approached Hirata and asked for his help. Looking back, it had been a huge gamble on her part, and she was incredibly lucky that Hirata turned out to be such a good guy.
Being his "girlfriend" had worked out better than Karuizawa could've ever imagined. She remembered how the popular girls at her old school had behaved and simply copied them. She went out often, spent money freely on shopping, and before long, she'd become the queen bee of Class D's girls.
In other words, she was living a lie.
And aside from the fact that she didn't want Ayanokouji and Satou to go on a date in the first place, she wasn't exactly experienced in romance herself. After all, how could someone who'd never had a real boyfriend know the secrets to dating, let alone give someone else advice?
Truthfully, she just wanted to leave right now.
She didn't want to concern herself with other people's happiness at the moment. Not when she was still struggling with her own problems. The thought of helping someone else find happiness while she remained trapped in her own personal hell was the last thing she wanted.
But she couldn't.
What if she refused? What if she simply got up and left? What if she ended up discouraging this innocent girl's determination? She had worked so hard to create some semblance of normalcy for herself, and refusing Satou's request now might put that at risk. She couldn't afford to let everything she'd built come crashing down over something like this. These thoughts swirled through her mind.
"....So, you don't want this to be—like—something casual, do you?" Karuizawa asked. "You're saying you want a serious date with Ayanokouji-kun. Something that'll make you an official couple, right?"
"Yes."
"Then, for starters, do you have anything to work with? If you're asking me for advice, you must have some kind of plan already, right?"
Looking somewhat unsure, Satou held out her phone. "Umm, you see, I'm still a total amateur when it comes to this. So I've been trying to come up with the perfect date. What do you think?"
On the screen was a list of things she planned to do on their date.
'Meet at noon.'
'Go to a movie theater.'
'Go shopping.'
'Make a romantic confession under the legendary tree while giving him a present.'
It looked incredibly simple. Well, lists had a way of making everything look simple.
But one thing caught her attention, especially the last part of the list.
Is she planning to confess to Ayanokouji-kun on their very first date?
The legendary tree, it seemed like Satou was going with the idea of going big or going home. If it were Karuizawa, she would've preferred to deepen their relationship bit by bit, slowly but surely. But Satou was more decisive than she'd imagined. Of course, whether she could actually go through with it would depend on her courage, especially since this was their first date.
And usually, these things ended in failure.
Though, as another complete beginner, what did she know?
"By the way, do you know what kind of things Ayanokouji-kun likes? Like, maybe his hobbies or something?" Karuizawa asked.
"Ah, about that, I was actually going to ask you. Do you know anything, Karuizawa-san?"
"Eh? Me? Why would I know anything about Ayanokouji-kun's hobbies or preferences?"
"Eh, no, no, no, that's not what I meant." Satou quickly corrected herself. "It's just, aren't Ayanokouji-kun and Hirata-kun pretty close? I mean, Hirata-kun gets along with everyone, but he's one of the few people who's talked to Ayanokouji-kun regularly since the beginning of the year, right? Aside from Horikita-san and Kumagawa-kun, I guess. So I thought maybe Hirata-kun might know something about him."
"Ah..."
Apparently, Satou had been thinking this through.
Well, to be fair, being Hirata's "girlfriend" had its perks, especially when it came to information about Class D's students. Of course, Hirata was rather tight-lipped about sensitive matters, but thanks to him, Karuizawa knew at least a thing or two about almost everyone in the class.
"Hmm... Now that I think about it, Yousuke-kun did mention that Ayanokouji-kun has been spending a lot of time at the library lately,"
"The library...?"
"Yeah." Karuizawa nodded as she took a sip of her drink. "It was after the last exam that he mentioned Ayanokouji-kun had been going to the library pretty often. So maybe he likes reading? I mean, he's not exactly the most sociable guy, so maybe books are his thing?"
"Is that so..."
Karuizawa had lied just now, or rather, it was only a half-lie.
Hirata had never mentioned anything like that—rather it was actually something she'd noticed herself after working with Ayanokouji for a while and observing him. Of course, Karuizawa didn't know whether Ayanokouji genuinely enjoyed reading or not, but it was true that he'd been to the library several times lately, so she figured it wouldn't hurt to mention it to Satou.
"If you're not sure, why don't you try going to the library? Look through a few books and see if there's anything you could bring up in a conversation. Maybe that'll help you catch his interest."
Satou seemed to mull over her advice for a while before finally coming to a decision.
"That's a good idea," she said. "Then, Karuizawa-san, could you come with me to the library...?"
"...Huh?"
Seeing Karuizawa's incredulous expression, Satou hurriedly continued, "I-I'm sorry if I'm being a bother, but I don't really read books that much, so even if I went there by myself, I wouldn't know where to start..."
"Do you think I read books either?"
What exactly did Satou expect from her?
At most, her reading was limited to manga and fashion magazines. She had practically no knowledge of the kinds of books you'd find in a library, aside from textbooks and maybe a few popular novels she'd heard people talking about.
Besides, the only books she'd ever read that could be considered classic literature were the Sherlock Holmes stories, and that was about it.
"W-well, I think it'll be fine, right? Maybe we could help each other figure things out or something?" Satou insisted. "At the very least, it'd be better than going there alone when I don't even know where to begin."
"..."
Karuizawa wanted to refuse, but Satou looked genuinely anxious right now.
She wouldn't exactly call her desperate, but Satou seemed determined to make this work. Even though she knew she was troubling Karuizawa with her request, she was still willing to ask.
"Just so you know, I barely know anything about books, so my opinion probably won't be much help."
Hearing that, Satou's anxious expression immediately brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically. "It's okay! I wasn't expecting much from you either, but it's still better than going alone!"
"....."
Did Satou just insult her...?
"...Well, if you're fine with that, then sure. I don't mind," Karuizawa said. "But don't blame me if we go all the way there and end up finding nothing useful."
With that disclaimer out of the way, the two headed to the library.
『』『』『』『』『』
"Ah, this clothing is kinda cute. I've been meaning to buy some new clothes for winter lately. How much does this—ugh, 10,000 points...? Expensive."
Inside one of the clothing stores in Keyaki Mall, Kushida and Kumagawa were browsing through clothes. Though, for the most part, it was Kushida doing the browsing while Kumagawa had been dragged around from one place to another for the past few hours.
"Kumagawa-kun, Kumagawa-kun." Turning toward him, Kushida looked at him with expectant eyes. "Don't you think I should dress up a little more? You have plenty of points, right?"
『Hmm? Don't you also have a considerable amount of point yourself, Kikyou-chan? 』
"You don't use them much anyway. Unlike me, you hardly spend your points on anything other than manga, light novels, games, and dirty books, after all."
Just as Kushida said, Kumagawa rarely bought anything other than things related to his personal interests and hobbies. Of course, even those purchases added up to a considerable amount, especially considering how freely he spent his points on games and other things. But for someone with over 20 million points in his account, 10,000 points was practically pocket change.
"Besides, just consider it compensation for all the trouble you've dragged me into.
『Is that why you're dragging me from shop to shop, as a compensation? 』
Kushida tilted her head, looking at Kumagawa as if wondering what kind of idiot would say something like that. "Weren't you the one who dragged me out during winter break in the first place? Or what? Do you already want to go home?"
『Hmm? Well, I'll go home eventually. Besides, what are you going to do without me dragging you around?』
"Well... I guess I'll just spend my time in my room?"
She honestly didn't know what else she would do.
Truthfully, her lifestyle had changed quite a bit since Kumagawa entered her life. The things she used to enjoy doing had become rather lackluster, to say the least, and spending time with anyone other than Kumagawa had started to feel boring. But she wasn't about to lose a verbal argument with him.
『Ahaha, like practicing your smile in front of the mirror or making lists of things you need to do with your friends? 』
"..."
Just how much dirt did he have on her?
『Hahaha, don't be too upset Kikyou-chan. I'll make sure you have a good time during this outing of ours. 』
"Then, if you manage to do that by the end of winter break, I'll let you lift my skirt as a reward."
Of course, she was only joking.
But...
『Really? You mean it, Kikyou-chan?! I wanna do it! I wanna do it! I wanna do it! 』
His mood and eyes immediately brightened to a seriously disgusting degree.
"...That was just lip service."
Kumagawa looked puzzled. 『Eh? You mean like a kiss? 』
"That's not what I meant!"
She had forgotten just how seriously Kumagawa took his desires. She had been so caught up in his pace that she hadn't thought about how he might actually take her words. If he were serious, she wouldn't put it past him to spend all 20 million of his points just to make it happen.
『Ah, come to think of it, I was thinking of going to the library. 』 Kumagawa suddenly said out of nowhere.
"Hmm?"
『While I was talking to you, I started feeling like I wanted to go to the library. 』
"....."
What sort of mental circuitry was she dealing with?
Kushida did everything she could to probe and search her brain for a reason why he had suddenly brought that up.
But nothing came to mind.
He had said that he was going to go home eventually, so Kumagawa probably didn't have any particular plans. Since they still had time, they could either keep wandering around or go somewhere else.
『You should come with me. 』
"Why...? What are you going to do at the library?"
『What else? 』
"'What else'?" This time she was flabbergasted. "Sorry, but I'm not enough of an oddball to study on my own during winter break when we don't even have homework. Besides, why are you suddenly trying to act like a model student?"
『Hey, hey Kikyou-chan who said I'm going there to study? 』
"You don't?"
Now she was confused.
『Well, it's not whether I study or not, but you should know already that studying and me doesnt work well together. 』
"....."
That's true.
In fact she already experienced it firsthand of how incompatible the two concept together that she even gave up. Though she did learn a couple of trick to make his brain work when teaching him, but it was more bothersome than it's worth that it's better to just gave up completely.
"Kumagawa-kun... I think I've told you this a couple of times already, but shouldn't you think a little more seriously about your future?" Kushida said in a somewhat bored tone. "I know how much of a defeatist you are by now, but at this rate, do you even intend to graduate properly?"
『Ahahaha, why should I think about the future when even graduating itself seems like a shaky prospect for me? It's too late for me. I'm a lost cause. The most I can do is try not to be late for class too often over the next three years.』
"Right... By the way, Kumagawa-kun."
『Hmm? What is it, Kikyou-tan? 』
"Someone's been following us for a while now. I've noticed them out of the corner of my eye. Or am I just imagining things?"
『I don't think it's just your imagination. I've noticed them too, with my 20/4 vision. 』
Not bothering to comment on such an obvious lie, Kushida concluded that it wasn't just her imagination.
"Why is she doing it again...?" Kushida couldn't help but mutter.
She had absolutely no intention of getting involved with their supposed stalker.
The last time she had gotten involved, she had wanted to kick her past self for allowing things to reach that point. The current situation gave her a strange sense of déjà vu, but at the same time, being followed and watched like this wasn't exactly comfortable.
Of course, she didn't mind receiving attention herself. It even made her feel a little important. But she knew that this time, the attention had nothing to do with her. It had something to do with the boy beside her—the living embodiment of ominousness.
Honestly, it was hard to believe that anyone would go out of their way to look for him, let alone associate with him. Either they had absolutely no sense of self-preservation, or they were simply that dense. After all, it was impossible to miss the ominous presence of Kumagawa Misogi, enough to make anyone's skin crawl.
Well, perhaps that was easy for her to say, considering she was probably the only person in the entire school who had any sort of active relationship with him. But in her case, it wasn't that she had entered his life—rather, he had invaded hers.
In a way, it was almost like a house robbery.
There was no escaping once a robber had already broken in.
It was unavoidable.
『Ahaha, did you just think something rude about me, Kikyou-chan? 』
"..."
Ignoring his remarks, Kushida tried to think of a way out.
She could try a lot of different way with just plain and simple running away, or a more direct or maybe indirect method that could cause commotion or maybe stealthy.
But before she could even get halfway through forming a proper plan...
『It's been a while, Stalker-chan. 』
The boy beside her had already disappeared, only to reappear right beside the stalker.
It happened so quickly that even the stalker seemed caught off guard, physically jolting in surprise. Kushida could have sworn she even heard a cute little "Kyaa!" escape from the stalker's mouth.
"..."
Feeling strangely and frustratingly defeated, Kushida let out a heavy sigh. It was an attempt to release all her frustration in one go, but one sigh simply wasn't enough. She could almost physically feel that she needed another three or four heavy sighs before she could sort out her feelings.
For now, she should just try to go along with his pace. As had been proven several times before, going against Kumagawa could lead to disastrous situations. Of course, the same could be said about going along with his pace, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
Kushida then approached Kumagawa and the stalker, making an effort to greet the latter.
"...Aren't you tired of stalking people, Kamuro-san...?"
"....."
"While I do commend your dedication, are you even stalking us properly? You're not even trying to hide yourself..."
But what came out was different from what she had intended.
It seemed some of her frustration had slipped into her words.
But just as she had said, the stalker, or rather, Kamuro, wasn't even trying to hide herself properly. She was simply standing behind a pillar, watching them rather intently. Kushida even thought that her first attempt at stalking them had been better than this one.
Was she somehow evolving backward?
『Did you get demoted from a first-rate stalker to a second-rate one by any chance? 』Kumagawa said
"Tch, I'm not a stalker." Kamuro answered confidently, a scowl clearly displayed on her face. "Besides, I'm not trying to stay hidden. I intentionally make myself known."
It seemed she had quite a bit of pride, too.
『Ahaha, what kind of logic is that? 』
Kumagawa laughed.
『To me, it just looks like you don't know how to approach us, so you naturally end up stalking us instead. Of course, I have no problem with that, but if you keep acting all shy like this, you won't have any friends, you know? 』
He really didn't mince his words.
Kushida, of course, thought more or less the same thing as Kumagawa. Kamuro didn't seem to have much in the way of social skills, to the point that she ended up looking like a stalker. However, unlike her partner, Kushida still had enough sense of decorum to keep those thoughts to herself, or at the very least, not be quite so blunt about them.
"Whatever." Kamuro said, seemingly trying to brush off his remarks. "Anyway, I'm just here to pass on a message. Sakayanagi wants to talk to you. She's waiting for you in the library."
Hearing that, Kushida finally understood where her sense of déjà vu had come from.
And as soon as she delivered the message, Kamuro immediately turned around and walked away.
It was rather abrupt, but from the looks of it, Kamuro didn't want to spend any more time around Kumagawa than necessary. In Kushida's opinion, that was a rather sensible choice, so she didn't hold it against her, even if the way she left was a little rude.
『Well then, shall we go? 』
"Can I not? It sounds like a pain, so I'd rather not go..."
At times like this, rather than making up excuses, it was better to be straightforward. She didn't think it would improve her chances or anything, but it was probably worth a try.
『Then what are you going to do? 』
"....."
No way.
Was this actually going to work?
Kushida hadn't expected much when she decided to try this approach. She didn't know how, but unexpectedly, it seemed to have worked. In that instant, she racked her brain for any possible excuse that might make Kumagawa lose interest and decide to go to the library on his own instead.
"Watch ants. And when I get bored, I'll just crush them to death."
『That sounds fun! Can I do it with you? 』
"Didn't you say... you wanted to go to the library?"
At this rate, fickle didn't even begin to describe how quickly he changed his mind.
『Well, since you're invovled, it's better if I came along as well right? 』
"Ah...."
She screwed up.
It seemed that Kumagawa wasn't particularly interested in what she planned to do. He was more interested in whether he could get involved. No matter how absurd, boring, or unusual her plans were, as long as she was involved, Kumagawa would inevitably involve himself as well.
He was really determined to make her life as inconvenient as possible.
『When do you want to go, Kikyou-chan? 』
"...Let's not keep Sakayanagi-san waiting. We should go to the library."
It seemed there had never been a way out to begin with.
『』『』『』『』『』
"Here again, huh..."
Kushida and Kumagawa once again stood in front of the library.
For the record, Kamuro had also gone to the library and had been walking ahead of them the entire time. It was just that she didn't want to be anywhere near Kumagawa, which was understandable.
They began making their way through the library.
Honestly, Kushida didn't have many good memories of this place. In fact, most of her memorable experiences here had been negative, making the library one of the least desirable places in her mind, despite its excellent facilities, which were practically unmatched by any other school in Japan.
As they continued walking, Kushida's mind wandered through all sorts of pointless thoughts, jumping from one subject to another at a rather rapid pace.
『Heya, it's been a while, Sakayanagi-chan. 』
At his sudden greeting, Kushida followed Kumagawa's gaze and spotted Sakayanagi sitting at a built-in chess table, with her cane resting beside it.
Was that new?
The last time they had played chess here, there hadn't been a table like that. It must have been installed recently. Kushida thought it was rather convenient for Sakayanagi, who enjoyed playing chess, to suddenly have a dedicated chess table in the library. Kumagawa had mentioned that she was the chairman's daughter, so perhaps that had something to do with it.
If so, that was certainly a little scary.
"I'm sorry for bringing you here so suddenly, Kumagawa-kun."
『Ahaha, it's fine. 』 He laughed. 『Even if you hadn't called for me, I would've searched the entire school for you, so consider it settled. 』
"Right..." Sakayanagi did her best to ignore his remarks, but it seemed she couldn't quite overcome the psychological discomfort he caused so effortlessly. "But be that as it may, it seems you've brought Kushida-san along as well. You two certainly seem close, don't you?"
"Well, we're childhood friends, after all. Shouldn't people who've known each other since childhood be close? Or is my being here somehow a problem for you, Sakayanagi-san?" Kushida answered as calmly and warmly as she could.
"Of course not, Kushida-san. I'm sorry if my words offended you in any way."
"Hahaha, why are you apologizing all of a sudden? I'm not offended at all, so there's no need to apologize."
As expected...
Kushida didn't like her one bit.
Ever since their first meeting, she had disliked Sakayanagi. At first, she thought it was simply because of how condescending she could be, and that it was just a one-time impression. But there was something more fundamental about Sakayanagi that rubbed her the wrong way.
Of course, it wasn't as though she hated Sakayanagi in the same way she loathed Horikita.
Yes.
It was simply that they were incompatible.
Just as Kumagawa and studying were incompatible, Kushida and Sakayanagi seemed to be incompatible on a more fundamental level. It was a particular kind of dislike, one that Kushida couldn't quite put into words. Though whether Sakayanagi felt the same way was something she didn't know, which only irritated her further.
"Well, anyway, would you mind if I borrowed your precious childhood friend for a moment? It shouldn't take too long. I have somewhere else to be as well, but there's something I'd like to confirm first."
Kushida couldn't tell whether Sakayanagi was deliberately antagonizing her or simply teasing her, but her answer came rather quickly.
"Sure. Take him away. I'll wait over there for the time being."
Knowing how things tended to go based on past experience, Kushida understood that letting her ego dictate her actions would only make things troublesome. So, even if she wasn't particularly happy about it, she decided it was best to let Kumagawa go with her.
And just like that, Kushida turned around and headed somewhere away from Sakayanagi's seat. Fortunately, Kamuro was sitting not too far away. Although they weren't particularly close, at least she would have someone to talk to, so she wouldn't be bored while waiting.
After all, she was a social creature through and through.
『So, what do you want to talk about, Sakayanagi-chan? 』
"While we talk, would you mind if we played chess? I find it easier to talk when I can lose myself in the game."
『Ahaha, what a roundabout way of saying you don't like my company. 』
"Fufufu, you really don't mince your words, do you?"
Sakayanagi didn't deny it in the slightest.
She really didn't like Kumagawa's company, so she had decided to tease him a little while keeping things civil. But, true to his ominous nature, like that of a black hole, he simply accepted everything with open arms.
『Well? 』 Kumagawa looked at Sakayanagi.
By this point, she had already finished setting up the chess pieces for both sides and seemed rather eager to play.
"Did you know? It seems there's been a falling out among the students in Class C. Things have gotten quite bad. Were you aware of that?"
Tak!
She moved her pawn.
『Class C? Unfortunately, I don't know what you're talking about.』
Tak!
Kumagawa moved his pawn as well.
"Really? Shouldn't you, as a student council member, know something about that? Especially when... you're involved yourself?"
『Oh? 』
"He gets ever so angry whenever I call him this, but Dragon Boy was after someone from Class D, wasn't he? He described that person as 'the puppet master who controls Class D.' You know about that too, don't you? After all, you were involved as well..."
Only those directly involved should have known what happened on the rooftop and how the matter was resolved. In that sense, Kumagawa was rather impressed that Sakayanagi had managed to catch wind of it. In fact, he probably wouldn't have known about it himself if Kushida hadn't told him.
Though, to be fair, he hadn't considered it particularly important either.
『Were you about to ask me for the details of an incident I was involved in? 』
"So it's true, then? There was an incident, and you were involved?"
『Good grief... 』 Kumagawa let out a helpless sigh. 『For all your haughtiness and probing, aren't you a little too cautious around me? You ought to know how to deal with me accordingly.』
"...I don't know what you're talking about, but what exactly do you mean by 'deal with' you? For all the confidence you seem to have, your self-esteem can be strangely low."
Tak!
Sakayanagi moved her knight.
She glanced at the board as Kumagawa moved his own piece. As expected, Kumagawa was clearly on the losing side. Sakayanagi played rather aggressively, countering him at almost every turn. Yet Kumagawa didn't seem particularly concerned and continued playing at his own pace.
"Tell me, Kumagawa-kun. What exactly are you trying to accomplish at this school?"
『Hmm? 』
"Well, to be precise, what are your intentions toward Ayanokouji-kun? I don't know whether you know the same things I do, or perhaps even have some connection to them, but I just can't seem to get a proper read on you."
『If you're trying to extract information, you should start somewhere else and slowly work your way toward the question you really want to ask. Who would ever give you a straight answer if you asked them so directly? Why not try one of those cold-reading methods you use on people all the time? 』
"It's not as if I always use cold reading, you know...?" Sakayanagi said, looking slightly offended. "Besides, even if I tried, wouldn't the conversation just go around in circles? You'd simply drag it along at your own pace and end up not answering anything. Even if I don't know you that well, Kumagawa-kun, I know just how annoying you can be sometimes."
That was certainly what Sakayanagi thought would happen.
There was no point in putting up a pretense and trying to engage him in a psychological battle. Cold reading wouldn't work properly on someone like Kumagawa in the first place, so there was little point in trying. After all, cold reading relied on drawing out answers through leading questions and careful observation. Neither of those methods worked particularly well with him. He was difficult to read, and any attempt to lead the conversation would inevitably end up going off track.
It really wasn't her preferred way of approaching things. But even if it wasn't her style, she only needed to confirm a few things. Depending on how this conversation went, she might have to reconsider her next move.
『Why are you so hostile toward Ayanokouji-kun anyway? Is he the one who broke your leg, by any chance? 』
"..."
Sakayanagi's eyes narrowed. She seemed exceedingly displeased.
No matter how blunt and shameless Kumagawa was, Sakayanagi hadn't expected him to be this lacking in decorum. No, it wasn't simply that he lacked manners. It was almost as if he was deliberately crossing a line just to see how far he could push her.
"...Isn't that exceedingly rude, Kumagawa-kun? No matter how much of a pacifist I am, I'm also a human being, you know? Or are you trying to make me your enemy by any chance?"
『Of course I don't want to be your enemy. Definitely not. 』
"All right, for now. We'll drop it. But what exactly do you mean by 'hostile'?"
『Maybe it isn't hostility? Could it be love? That seems rather appropriate. 』
"Love...?"
『Putting love aside, don't they say that we tend to seek out people who are like ourselves? Just like how you love chess so much, Sakayanagi-chan. 』
"Are you saying we're two peas in a pod? Is that what you're insinuating?"
『More or less? For example, just like how you've often lost sight of chess, I've often lost sight of shogi. 』
"Huh... I didn't know you played shogi as well, Kumagawa-kun."
『I don't play shogi at all. Or... that I don't want to play it? 』 Kumagawa shook his head. 『Well in my case, my love for shogi was a little distorted. What I liked was the shape and feel of the pieces, as well as the snappy sound they made when placed on the board. In a sense, I'm more familiar with chess than shogi. 』
"You don't want to play it despite loving it?"
Logically, it didn't add up.
"Is there a reason?" she added.
『The reason? Well, in shogi, I don't really understand why having two pawns on the same file is a foul. Do you know why? 』
"Because it could lead to a pawn-drop checkmate, I suppose."
She didn't play shogi very often, but she knew its general rules.
Intuitively, it felt like if the "two pawns" rule were made legal, it might make shogi a little more interesting—but perhaps it would also lower the competitive difficulty of the game? Then again, that way of thinking might simply be a result of being bound by the status quo. If they actually tried it, the board could become more chaotic, and the game might even become more fun.
『When it comes to pawns in chess, they capture pieces by moving diagonally, right? What's up with that difference? 』
"Isn't that just how the rules work?" Sakayanagi said. "For example, if I asked you, 'Why can't shogi pawns choose between moving one or two squares on their first move?' what would you say?"
There was nothing to say other than that those were simply the rules.
The same applied to the two-pawn rule.
『Rules? That's just something somebody arbitrarily decided a long time ago.』
"I don't think it was arbitrary, though."
『Why do we have to follow rules like that? If having two pawns on the same file lets me win, shouldn't that be allowed? If it lets me capture the king, then shouldn't it be fine for pawns to move diagonally? Just like how a pawn can choose whether to flip over or not after entering the enemy camp. 』
"Shouldn't it be, 'to promote or not'?"
'To flip over or not'... What an amateurish way of putting it.
『In the end, that's just terminology someone arbitrarily decided on. There's nothing wrong with advocating for the language of amateurs. In shogi, you move; in go, you place. If someone were to mix those two up, would that really be worthy of criticism? Besides, saying 'to promote or not' makes it sound as though promotion is inherently superior. From a practical standpoint, there are situations where choosing not to promote can actually be more advantageous. And yet, the wording itself reflects a particular set of values and a rather narrow way of looking at things. 』
"All of that aside, isn't that rather contradictory? How am I supposed to make sense of that?"
It was like a chef who loved making omelettes but didn't particularly like eggs, which was why he never made them. It didn't really make sense for a chef to act that way—or in this case, there was something rather twisted about it.
『Well, I'm a contrarian by nature, after all, and I'm not particularly good at interpreting things since I prefer to take them at face value. But if that's how you want to think about it, then go ahead. Ahaha. 』
He laughed.
『That's just my interpretation, of course. 』He summed it up.
"..."
As expected
She really couldn't keep up with him.
That was quite an absurd summation. To begin with, she understood perhaps half of his explanation, while the other half was, quite frankly, nonsense. Although she could understand the underlying meaning behind that nonsense, she found it rather detestable.
But for now, she needed to steer the conversation back on course. Before she could return to the main topic, however, Kumagawa continued.
『Besides, I'd already heard about what's going on from Ayanokouji-kun. 』
"...Huh?"
She had been so engrossed in their conversation that his sudden remark caught her off guard.
『Juuust— 』 Kumagawa said in a playful tone. No, his tone was downright annoying. Only the stretched-out vowel sounded playful. 『Kidding. Don't be so serious Sakayanagi-chan. It's like I was watching Tuesday suspense theatre, it's dreadful. 』
"Is that so? Well, it doesn't really matter to me whether you're telling the truth or lying, but I find it rather distasteful."
As she spoke, Sakayanagi picked up her rook and threatened Kumagawa's queen.
For the record, this was already their second game. Sakayanagi had, of course, won the first one, and quite overwhelmingly at that.
『While I was just kidding about hearing it from Ayanokouji-kun, I do find your actions somewhat familiar. Ah, of course, this is me speaking from experience, after all, I've led a rather rich and unusual life. 』
Even though he did lie quite a lot, somehow Sakayanagi didn't doubt that. She would even wager that rich and unusual didn't begin to describe his life, considering just how bizarre he turned out to be.
"But what do you mean by familiar?"
『Do you perhaps know the word "anecdotal"? 』
"...That's a bit sudden, but yes, I'm familiar with it."
It referred to a short, usually personal story, something like an episode or an account of a particular experience.
『Well, the truth is, I'd seen someone do something similar before, but I'd completely forgotten about it. I only remembered partway through our conversation. Like, oh yeah, that rings a bell. 』
"So, are you saying that I remind you of that person?"
『Well, not exactly. But back when I was younger, what you did reminded me of someone. 』
"...."
As difficult as it was for Sakayanagi to admit, she had originally intended to be direct with Kumagawa so she wouldn't have to spend too much time with him or be around him any longer than necessary. Yet, despite herself, she had grown rather curious about this personal anecdote of his.
There was a good chance it would turn out to be another load of nonsense, but judging by his tone, there seemed to be some truth to it. Because of that, she was somewhat willing to hear him out, even though she had been rather displeased with how he'd led her around earlier.
『You're pretty similar in the sense that you're both obsessed with someone. It was a rather adolescent kind of feeling, where a guy chases after someone who's out of his league in practically every way, armed with nothing but willpower and stubbornness. 』
"Out of his league... Are you saying the person he's chasing is a genius?"
『Hmm... In a way, you could say that. 』
Genius was probably an understatement.
"And what happened to that person? Did he actually manage to catch up with the genius?"
『Ahaha. Who knows? I wonder what happened to him. It's been a while since I last saw him and that girl. 』
"That's rather irresponsible of you, considering you were the one who brought him up."
『Well, it's an old story. Besides, isn't the journey more interesting than the destination? 』
"Fufu. I suppose that's one way to look at it. Still, I find it rather difficult to sympathize with someone who willingly puts himself in such a position."
『Oh? Why's that? 』
"Because no matter how much effort an ordinary person puts in, there are simply some gaps that cannot be overcome. Talent, intelligence, natural aptitude, these aren't things that can always be compensated for through hard work. Even if someone spends their entire life trying to catch up, the person they're chasing might have already reached a place they'll never be able to reach."
She spoke rather casually, as though it were an obvious fact.
Her explanation could be summed up in a rather simple and blunt way: An ordinary person can never catch up to a genius. It was an extremely elitist way of looking at things, perhaps even a rather devious one.
『Hmm~ Is that your stance on the relationship between ordinary people and geniuses? That no amount of effort or willpower can help someone catch up to a natural-born genius? 』
"It's more of a hypothesis, Kumagawa-kun. I don't deny the value of effort. But effort alone doesn't guarantee anything. In the end, an ordinary person remains ordinary, no matter how desperately they struggle against their limitations."
『But if... Hmm? 』
Kumagawa seemed about to offer some kind of retort, or perhaps make an inappropriate remark. However, he suddenly stopped halfway through and fell into thought, resting a hand against his chin.
"What's wrong?"
『Um, hang on a sec. I'm thinking. 』
Sakayanagi was obsessed with Ayanokouji and actively looking for a way to confront him. Kumagawa had realized this shortly after the Sports Festival. He had also learned a little about Ayanokouji's background and circumstances through Anshin'in-san's involvement, though, frankly, he had little interest in any of it. Following that train of thought, Kumagawa arrived at a realization—or rather, figured out Sakayanagi's motivation.
『Now I get it! Rather than being hostile, are you perhaps trying to prove your superiority? 』
"..."
『I was thinking of poking around a little at first, but you were rather adamant about the distinction between geniuses and ordinary people. That got me thinking that perhaps what I suspected was actually the case. So, is that why you've been so determined to confront him? Am I wrong? 』
Sakayanagi was left rather speechless.
There were several things she wanted to correct, as his words had struck a nerve. However, if she said any of them aloud, she would only come across as a hypocrite.
"Hmm... If that's what you want to think, then go ahead." She replied with an ambiguous smile. "You see, unlike you, Kumagawa-kun, I don't like taking things at face value."
Tak!
It was the sound of Sakayanagi's pawn capturing one of Kumagawa's knights on the chessboard.
『Ahaha, don't get angry at me, Sakayanagi-chan. Even if you thoroughly destroy me to the point where there's nothing I can do, it won't change my hypothesis. 』
He glanced at the board in front of him.
『Of course, if you just outright deny my hypothesis, I will just forget all about it and thought of it nothing but a bunch of nonsense and that none of this ever happened. Ahaha 』laughed Kumagawa
Tak! Tak! Tak!
The sound of rapid moves echoed across the chessboard as the two continued their game. Until finally...
"Chekckmate."
『... 』
"It seems you've lost, Kumagawa-kun."
『Okay! You win, Sakayanagi-chan. You got me. It's my loss. 』
He had lost quite thoroughly.
The board was filled with black pieces. The only white piece left was his checkmated king, standing alone in the corner of the board. It was rather pathetic to look at.
"It seems we've reached the end of our little game. Thank you for playing with me, Kumagawa-kun." Sakayanagi carefully began putting the chess pieces back in their respective places.
『Ahaha. Though, I have to say, you're quite merciless, Sakayanagi-chan. I never expected to be treated so harshly. I might even switch to shogi because of you. Perhaps I'll even join the Shōreikai.』
"Fufu. I simply can't afford to underestimate you, Kumagawa-kun. After all, you're the person who managed to force a stalemate against me in chess, especially in a bughouse variation.
Even Sakayanagi had to admit how difficult that had been.
Compared to a normal game, bughouse chess was a much riskier variation, perhaps even something close to gambling in some respects. Since it was played in teams of two, the game was more likely to end in a decisive victory or defeat rather than a stalemate.
Sakayanagi then gave him a polite smile before picking up her cane. "Anyway, I'm afraid I have another appointment to attend to, so I'll take my leave here. Thank you for your time today, Kumagawa-kun. It was a rather interesting conversation."
『Well, do take care on your way, Sakayanagi-chan. Don't trip over anything, all right?』
"Thank you... for your concern. I'll be careful."
With that, Sakayanagi turned around and slowly walked away, her cane tapping against the floor. Kamuro followed closely behind her, taking one last glance at Kumagawa before disappearing from view along with Sakayanagi.
『』『』『』『』『』
After walking a considerable distance from the library, Sakayanagi stopped for a moment and glanced back at the building behind her before slowly turning to the friend beside her.
"This may come off as rather sudden, Masumi-san, but what do you think of Kumagawa Misogi-kun?"
"You're right. That really is sudden."
"You see, I was rather torn over what to make of him. At first, I planned to make up my mind after our conversation, but now I'm not so sure anymore."
"So you were torn between two options?"
"Hmm... How should I put this...?" Sakayanagi seemed to mull over her words. "When I spoke with him, I thought I would finally be able to make up my mind. And now, after that conversation, I'm one hundred percent certain that I've made my decision. But at the same time, a part of me is still rather uncertain about the whole thing. Do you see what kind of dilemma I'm in?"
That was the main reason she had invited him for a conversation.
At first, she hadn't thought much of him and had mostly ignored him. By the end of the cruise ship exam, she had only grown somewhat interested in him. That was as far as it went. However, after his recent actions, and the fact that he had even managed to become vice president, she could no longer seem to ignore him.
She had intended to probe him a little before making her decision.
What she hadn't expected, however, was that he would figure out her motivation.
It wasn't exactly something she had gone out of her way to hide, but she was still rather unsettled by how he had arrived at his conclusion. Some of the information was ambiguous, and there were gaps in what he could have known. Yet, for some strange reason, his leaps in logic had managed to accurately guess her motivation.
That, however, wasn't her main concern.
She was more concerned about how involved he seemed to be in the whole matter, especially when it came to Ayanokouji's past.
"So, what do you think of him?"
Masumi tilted her head slightly.
"Honestly? I think he's creepy."
"That's rather straightforward."
"What else am I supposed to say? He's just that creepy. That's why I don't want to be anywhere near him most of the time. He's a trouble magnet. Don't you know how many bad rumors surround that guy? It's practically ominous."
"Fufu. You seem to have quite a strong opinion of him."
"Can you blame me? I'd rather stay away from someone like that. He's the kind of person who makes you regret getting involved with him in the first place."
Sakayanagi couldn't deny any of her words, even if they were a bit exaggerated.
Kumagawa had that much of a bad reputation at school.
"Anyway, why are you even asking? Do you plan to do something with him? Is that why you asked me to look for him?"
"And what makes you come to that conclusion, Masumi-san?"
"Isn't that what you usually do?" Kamuro said in a bored tone. "I know how condescending you can be at times, and you looked like you'd drawn the short straw earlier. So you probably intend to do something with him, right?"
"Indeed..."
Should she just go along with it?
Sakayanagi slowly made up her mind.
『』『』『』『』『』
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"So, how did it go?"
After Sakayangi left, turning around, Kumagawa saw Kushida slowly walking toward him with a book in her hand.
『Well, it was quite fun. Of course, I got thoroughly destroyed, though.』 He glanced briefly at the chessboard before looking back at Kushida. 『What about you, Kikyou-chan? Did you finally learn something from your stalker friend? 』
"Why do you make it sound wrong in every possible way? Besides, she's stalking you, not me. I'm just an unintended victim in all of this."
Though...
That also sounded wrong in all sorts of ways.
"So, what does Sakayanagi-san even intend to do? It's not every day that someone comes looking for you unless they're forced to, have no other choice, or are scheming against you."
『Don't make it sound like I have a ton of enemies in this school. Even if this school advocates conflict, it's still practically impossible for me to have that many enemies.』
"It's not about the nature of this school..."
Even if conflict was part of the school's nature, Kushida was talking about something more personal—the grudges and animosity people held toward him. There probably wasn't a single person in the school's entire history who had managed to piss off as many people on a personal level as Kumagawa had.
But, well, whatever.
"Anyway, does Sakayanagi really intend to scheme against you?"
『Why are you so insistent that she's scheming against me? 』 He slowly pushed himself up from his seat. 『But, as you said, I'm pretty sure she's planning something against me. 』
So she really was...
『At the very least, I'm pretty sure she was trying to probe me with those rather direct leading questions. And she seemed rather hostile toward me from the beginning. 』
"Hostile? I thought you two had a pretty civil conversation, though?"
『Ah, I'm rather sensitive to other people's negative emotions, so it's pretty easy for me to tell when someone dislikes me. In her case, she seemed to dislike me so intensely that, if she could expel me on the spot, she probably would. 』
"Who doesn't?" Kushida voiced her honest thoughts.
Was there even anyone who had a positive impression of this partner of hers? As far as she knew, most people already disliked him. And those who did have a somewhat positive impression of him were either incredibly dull or perhaps had a few screws loose themselves.
But aside from that, even his first impression was already hopeless to begin with. It was even worse for people who already knew something about him.
Still, if he really did have such a sense, it would be both incredibly useful and equally useless.
As they walk, they continue their talks.
『What about you, Kikyou-chan? Did you get any closer to our Stalker-chan? Didn't you go talk to her earlier? 』
"If you mean Kamuro-san, then no. She's rather boring as a person. I don't think we really click."
『Huh? That's unexpected. 』 Kumagawa looked genuinely shocked. 『Aren't you the famous Kushida Kikyou, the person who's supposedly capable of befriending anyone?! How shocking! 』
"Just how much are you overestimating me...?"
『To think that someone who can even befriend animals can't make friends with another human being...』
"....."
Was he complimenting her or insulting her?
His intentions were rather blurry.
"Well, in any case, Kamuro-san has rather peculiar circumstances that make her more pitiful than boring. But it's true that our personalities don't really click. Not that I hate her or anything, of course."
『Peculiar? 』
"Apparently, Sakayanagi somehow got hold of her weakness and turned her into one of her lackeys."
It was pretty much the same as her own situation.
『How horrible. Who would've thought that someone so terrible could exist in this world...? 』
Kumagawa seemed genuinely taken aback.
"..."
What a hypocrite.
"Ah, Kushida-san, Kumagawa-kun!"
Just as they were talking, a familiar voice called out to them. A familiar face soon approached from the opposite direction. Seeing her, Kushida felt a little more at ease. Although they hadn't known each other for very long, there was something soothing about her presence.
Yup.
『Heya, Hiyori-chan. It's been a while. 』
"Shiina-san! How have you been?" Kushida immediately returned to her usual bubbly and cheerful self.
"I'm doing well, thank you. It's rather unusual to see the two of you together in the library. Did something happen?" Hiyori asked with a gentle smile. She seemed a little happy to see them together, since Kumagawa was usually the only one who spent time with her.
『Well, it seems I've attracted someone's attention you see, and now they're plotting against me. 』
"Is that so?" Hiyori tilted her head curiously, seemingly unsure what to make of his words. "Ah, speaking of which, I happened to meet two girls from your class earlier. They asked me to recommend some books for them. I was quite happy to meet someone else who enjoys reading novels so much. I didn't realize there were other students in your class who shared the same interest."
"Classmates?"
Hearing that, Kushida turned to look at Kumagawa, who responded with a slight shrug.
Were there any girls in Class D with that kind of interest?
The only girl Kushida could think of was Horikita. However, she didn't really have any friends, and her relationship with others barely went beyond being classmates. In particular, Kushida couldn't think of any female friends she might have made. Besides, Hiyori had specifically mentioned two people, so they were probably friends.
Kushida grew rather curious about who Hiyori was referring to.
"Ah, there they are."
As if perfectly timed, Hiyori pointed toward two girls approaching from the opposite direction, each carrying a stack of books in her arms.
"Eh...?"
Kushida looked at the two girls.
"Hmm? Kushida-san? What are you doing here?"
"...Hello, Kushida-san."
It was unexpected.
They were Satou and Karuizawa, respectively.
Kushida hadn't expected the two fashion-conscious girls to have such a refined hobby.
...Or was this something new?
As far as she knew, both of them had more of a gal-like personality since the beginning of the school year. Neither was particularly studious—or rather, neither of them had shown much interest in reading in the first place. So, finding them in the library, especially as Hiyori had mentioned, actively looking for novels, was rather unexpected.
"Umm... Satou-san, Karuizawa-san, I didn't know you were interested in novels."
She glanced at the books in their arms.
Even if this was just a one-time thing, the number of books they were carrying made it seem like they had a genuine interest. Or perhaps this was something new they were trying out, an attempt to find a new hobby?
"A-ah, it's just that, um... You know, since it's winter, I thought having a reading hobby might be nice..." Satou answered hesitantly.
"Right..."
Kushida hadn't expected her to stumble over her words like that, but she quickly turned her attention to Karuizawa.
"Are you the same too, Karuizawa-san?"
"....."
"...Karuizawa-san?"
Unlike Satou, who had been stumbling over her words, Karuizawa was completely frozen. Even though the library's heater kept the entire room comfortably warm, Karuizawa looked pale, standing perfectly still as though she were out in the middle of winter.
Her eyes were fixed on a certain person.
No, her gaze was practically locked onto him.
『Hmm? What's wrong, Karuizawa-san? 』
Karuizawa flinched.
"Ah, um... Sorry, Shiina-san. We actually have somewhere else to be, so..."
Her voice came out a bit unsteady and there's even a trace of panic in it that She barely managed to finish her sentence before turning toward Satou and grabbing her hand.
"Let's go, Satou-san"
"Eh? Wait, Karuizawa-san?"
"Come on."
Karuizawa took a step forward, seemingly intent on leaving right away. But then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, she stopped and turned back toward Hiyori.
"Ah, um... Thank you for recommending the books, Hiyori-san. I'll be sure to read them!"
She bowed her head in a hurry, then immediately pulled Satou along with her.
"W-wait, Karuizawa-san! You're walking too fast!"
Satou's voice gradually faded as the two hurried out of the library, almost as though they were fleeing from something.
The two girls left, Karuizawa and Hiyori look at the dissapearing Karuizawa and Satou weirdly before both of them turned their look toward Kumagawa.
『Hey, hey, why are you two looking at me like that? I haven't even said a word yet, so why are you looking at me like it's my fault? It's not my fault! 』
Kushida looked at him skeptically.
Of course, she knew why Karuizawa was acting like that around Kumagawa. She had been there, after all, and had witnessed how this partner of hers cornered a girl in the dormitory lobby. A girl who had only just been bullied the other day, no less.
But that wasn't the case for Hiyori.
"Kumagawa-kun... Have you been harassing another girl...?"
『Ahaha, there seems to be some sort of misunderstanding here. Isn't that right, Kikyou-chan?』
"Nope. No misunderstanding. Nothing to clear up," Kushida answered.
Plain and simple.
『..... 』
"Well, Shiina-san, Kumagawa-kun is practically disliked by everybody, so it's not that strange for him to be disliked and feared by another one of his classmates. Especially if it's a girl."
Kushida even added a little bonus to her explanation.
"Mm…that's a fair point." Hiyori nodded.
In the end, they agreed to sum it up as him simply being disliked.
In a sense, it was practically the truth, so Kumagawa had no grounds to offer a retort. Which was why he stayed silent.
"By the way..." Hiyori started. "What are you two planning to do after this? Are you going to spend some time in the library again? Or perhaps go somewhere else?"
"Hmm... Maybe go shopping?"
Honestly, Kushida didn't really know.
In the first place, she had been dragged out by Kumagawa, so she was simply following along with whatever he wanted to do. Though, when it came to the shopping part, she was the one dragging him around. Still, that didn't change the fact that he was the one who had dragged her out in the first place.
And, as if that wasn't enough, he had even dragged her to the library once again.
"Oh…"
Hiyori looked rather dejected.
"You sound so disappointed… Come on, it hurts to see you look that way."
Yeah.
She looked like a hamster at that moment, which made Kushida feel rather bad about leaving her alone.
Letting out a sigh inwardly, Kushida made up her mind.
"Ah, actually, I think I'll spend a little time in the library first," Kushida said, glancing at Hiyori. "Would that be okay with you, Kumagawa-kun?"
『Hmm? 』
Kumagawa tilted his head, then looked at Kushida.
『Well, I don't mind. It's not like I have anywhere particularly important to be. Besides, I was already planning to go here, wasn't I? 』
Hiyori's expression slowly brightened at Kushida's words.
In the end, the two of them ended up spending some time together in the library.
『END』
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Heya!
It's been a long while, hasn't it?
Well, just like I mentioned in a previous announcement chapter, there are a few things I needed to take care of before I could start writing again.
Fun fact, though: this chapter was actually supposed to be out a couple of days ago, but I got stuck on the conversation between Kumagawa and Sakayanagi. I ended up rewriting it several times, which is why it took a little longer than expected.
Anyway, here's today's chapter!
Volume 7.5 should take another two or maybe three chapters to finish, since I want to flesh out a few more things.
Anyway, if you're still reading this story, thank you for sticking around.
I hope you enjoy it!
[Thanks for reading]