EARLY DECEMBER. IT was 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, the first day of the weekend.
I received a call from Kanzaki two days before and went to the mall as promised. We didn't have a specific meeting place in mind, but as soon as I entered the mall, I was able to find Kanzaki and his group without delay.
Kanzaki, who had been watching the entrance of the mall, immediately noticed me and approached me with his hand raised slightly.
"Sorry for calling you on your day off."
"I tend to take it easy on my days off. I welcome the invitation."I told him softly that there was no need for him to feel bad.
Himeno, Watanabe, and Amikura were all with Kanzaki.
"I was told it was just Himeno, but there are others."
"Sorry, there are a few reasons for this."
Kanzaki tried to explain the difference in details from the prior communication, but Watanabe and the others spoke first.
"Hey Ayanokouji, it's cold again today."
"Hello, Ayanokouji-kun."
Watanabe and Amikura approached me with smiles in the same manner as they did on the school trip.
In response, I nodded in agreement.
Kanzaki had already explained to me Himeno's presence, the only person who would be accompanying me today.
I had assumed that it would be that kind of talk, but the combination of these four was a little surprising, and I couldn't clearly see the purpose or intention of this meeting.
Or were these two the first key players for Kanzaki and Himeno?
However, how could such a coincidence occur with these members who just so happened to be together on a school trip?
"No wonder you look puzzled, Ayanokouji-kun. I myself didn't expect to run into these two either."
Himeno also looked somewhat unsettled and nodded in agreement, albeit slightly.
"What do you mean?"
I was getting more and more doubtful, but Kanzaki seemed to be more concerned about being seen.
I had assumed that the store would be less crowded for a while, but students were coming in one after another.
"Christmas sales have started."
Amikura pointed out a store while looking at the bustling mall.
The store was indeed already decorated, and the words 'Christmas Sale' hung on the various products' shelves.
"For the time being, I'd like to move to a less conspicuous place if possible. I don't want anyone who has nothing to do with our group to know about its existence... especially those in Sakayanagi's and Ryuuen's classes."
We had no reason to refuse since we could understand the situation without asking for details.
If it was just the three of them, there would've been no problem, but with me in the group, there was no way to avoid the appearance of a mysterious gathering.
Besides, I'd prefer to discuss things in a calm and quiet place rather than in this traffic of people.
"Then why don't we just go for some standard karaoke?"
Amikura suggested karaoke, which was often used for study and strategy meetings. However, that was also one of the few places on the premises where a secret meeting could be held.
The karaoke place was only a three-minute walk from here.
"Let's get moving."
Kanzaki took the initiative and started walking with me following after him."Was this some kind of serious discussion? I'm sorry, I didn't think it was."Amikura, who came alongside me, apologized in a whisper.
From the way she spoke, it seemed that she had suddenly decided to join the meeting.
Watanabe, who was standing next to Amikura, explained what had happened.
"It seemed like Kanzaki was going to meet Ayanokouji, so we asked if we could join him."
"Yeah. Originally we were planning to go shopping at Watanabe-kun's request."
When Amikura continued the explanation, Watanabe looked a little embarrassed and happy, but also somewhat sad and looked away.
"Are you sure you don't want to go shopping?"
Both of them were empty-handed and didn't appear to have bought anything.
"It's not that big of a deal. We can just go buy something later."
I turned around as Kanzaki, who was walking in front of me, heard what we were talking about and explained it to me again.
"Originally, I thought it was just me and Himeno who needed to meet Ayanokouji. However, I changed my mind when I was told that you treated them both well during the school trip."
They were treated well? That's my line.
Watanabe and Amikura helped me a lot in various aspects during the school trip. I am grateful, but I didn't do anything to deserve the praise.
"So you decided that you needed to invite them too?"
When I asked Kanzaki this, he nodded his head with a mysterious look on his face.
"So what is it? What is it that we're going to discuss?"
"I'll tell you the details later."
I was able to catch a glimpse of Kanzaki's restlessness from the speed at which he was taking his first step forward.
1
After the reception at the karaoke bar, I entered our designated room with the four others. As a guest, I was taken to the back, where Watanabe, Kanzaki, and the girls all took their seats. We all ordered drinks, but nothing else.
"Should we sing a song or something...?"
Watanabe picked up a microphone on the table and jokingly pointed the tip toward Kanzaki as if he were conducting an interview. Kanzaki, who wasn't as good as him at keeping up with such a lighthearted atmosphere, looked annoyed and then lightly brushed the microphone away with his hand.
"Sorry, we'll have to do that later.""...Right."
Watanabe apologized and shrugged, pulling back the microphone.
"First of all... I've told Himeno what we're going to talk about today, but you two haven't been informed yet. I already asked you before Ayanokouji arrived, but can you promise me that everything we say here will be kept strictly confidential?"
It seemed like Kanzaki told them in advance that this was a confidential conversation before he allowed them to accompany us.
"Yeah. That's fine."
Amikura and the others seemed to take pride in their tight-lippedness.
However, Kanzaki seemed wary of them.
"I'm sorry, but I still have my doubts."
As if to prove my point, Kanzaki laid his honest thoughts bare.
"Hey, hey... What should I do then?"
Watanabe seemed to have some thoughts about being under suspicion despite having promised not to tell anyone. However, Kanzaki was right in what he did, as we would soon come to see.
If we had only met up sooner, Kanzaki could've refused to tell Watanabe and Amikura, who tried to follow him out of curiosity, to leave it for another time.
But that didn't happen, and the fact that he was carefully checking the situation meant that inviting them may have been a gamble.
I was suspicious, but I wanted to trust and rely on these two people.
"Can't I just sign a contract or something? I won't tell anyone."
"I see. A signed contract. That's not a bad idea. It's also possible to record it with a cell phone."
Make them swear in front of the camera not to tell anyone, and punish them if they break the contract.
Such an approach would be one way to keep them tight-lipped.
Without hesitation, Kanzaki pulled out his cell phone and placed it on the table as if to show it off.
"Are you serious? I don't know, that might make me a little bit uncomfortable."
Amikura showed some of her dislike for the proposal, not believing that the suggestion came from a classmate.
"I told you. We'll have an important talk with Ayanokouji today. I believe that if anything we say here is leaked, the repercussions will be immeasurable."
"It isn't an exaggeration...?"
Kanzaki wasn't the only one looking at Watanabe during this questioning.
HImeno was also looking at him with the same intensity.
"Can you promise not to tell anyone?"
Kanzaki placed his hand on the phone and asked again for confirmation, accepting the backlash he'd face because of his methods.
If you don't want to take responsibility, you should leave now.
I think that Kanzaki's determination and spirit deeply permeated both of them.
"I promise. I will never tell anyone."
"...Me too. It's not cool to leave because I can't keep a secret. I can have my cell phone record it if you want."
If they break their word and speak out, they were sure to be looked down on, at least by Kanzaki and Himeno.
Although they didn't appear to be close friends, Watanabe and his classmates had a sense of responsibility to protect each other as people.
Convinced, Kanzaki put away his cell phone, took his eyes off the two of them, and turned to me.
"Once again, Watanabe and Amikura will remain present."
"I have no objection to this. This is a problem regarding Ichinose's class."
If a foreign entity was mixed in, it was Kanzaki's fault for making an error in judgment.
"I want to ask you one thing before I get into the main topic. Most of the class, including Watanabe and the others, have overheard a rumor that Ichinose's leaving the student council."
Is it true? They weren't just casually asking. It was an intense question.
Since a replacement hadn't been officially announced yet, Ichinose's statement that she had resigned hadn't been elicited.
However, as the recruiting process proceeded, the rumor spread and Kanzaki and the others heard about it.
"Why did you think I'd know?"
"Because your name was among the rumors."
I was a little caught up by the implied phrase, but my confusion was resolved by Watanabe's statement immediately afterward.
"There were rumors that you were going to join the student council."
Rumors are interesting. Someone who saw me interacting with Horikita, the forthcoming student council president, may have thought so and spread the story.
"You'll soon find out, but it's true that Ichinose's resigning from the student council."
"...I guess it's true then."
If he asked her directly, Ichinose wouldn't deny it, but Kanzaki and the others didn't have the guts to confirm it.
If they asked her why she was about to quit, then many other questions would also arise. If they heard that she had already quit, they might start to bombard her.
If something like that happened, it would cause some discord in the class.
"Ichinose would've liked to tell you as soon as possible, but Nagumo ordered her to keep it quiet until a replacement was found. That's why she couldn't tell you even if she wanted to."
I'll make sure that point is clear so that they don't misunderstand me.
"It's up to Ichinose to decide whether to continue being in the student council. I know that I, as her classmate, have no right to say anything about it.
However, I can't get rid of this ominous feeling."
"I guess Ichinose-san has given up on moving up to Class A, after all."
Unlike Kanzaki, who was using an indirect way of expressing his feelings, Himeno didn't try to sugarcoat it.
She left the student council at the stage where they were chasing after Class A and competing with the other classes. It was possible for Ichinose to relay this news in a positive way. Just by telling her friends that she was leaving the student council in order to focus on inter-class competition, she could've convinced them that she was serious about it.
However, now that they were on the verge of dropping from the class struggle, they saw her departure from the student council in a different light.
This act would be perceived as surrendering their weapons and giving up on their pursuit to Class A.
In fact, Kanzaki and Himeno seemed to think so themselves.
On the other hand...
"That's a bit of a leap, isn't it, Himeno? I don't think Honami-chan will give up on Class A so easily."
In contrast, Amikura, who continued to believe without any doubts at all, refuted the scenario.
"Then why did Ichinose quit the student council?"
"Maybe she was trying to concentrate on getting into Class A, so she quit the student council to relieve the burden?"
Amikura spoke up, refusing to believe that Ichinose had given up.
Watanabe, who also seemed to agree with Amikura's view, nodded his head repeatedly.
"Then why didn't she explain it to us properly? If she did that, we'd be able to rest easy."
"The student council president asked her to keep quiet about it, didn't he?
Honami-chan wouldn't carelessly break her promise."
In response to Himeno's rebuttal, Amikura responded reasonably. If she was told to keep quiet, it'd be natural for Ichinose to remain silent until she'd be allowed to reveal it.
"Ichinose hasn't given up on Class A. That's what our current class thinks."
"So, Kanzaki, you're saying that Ichinose quit the student council because she gave up on reaching Class A?"
"That isn't what I mean. The truth will remain unknown unless we hear it directly from her. However, what I'm trying to say is that you're believing in her too blindly. Why has no one considered the possibility that her decision to leave the student council was made because she gave up on Class A?"
Amikura and the others here have now spoken for themselves, as well as the rest of their class.
"It's obvious... because Honami-chan isn't that kind of girl."
"I agree with you. And Kanzaki, I think you're the one who assumed that
Ichinose has given up on Class A. Otherwise, you wouldn't have said that."
Hearing Amikura's and Watanabe's comments, which seemed to be the embodiment of blind belief, Kanzaki opened his mouth without hesitation.
"Admittedly, I strongly believe that possibility. However, I believe it's only a 70/30 chance, at best."
Kanzaki was 70% convinced she had given up, which wasn't a small chance.
Rather, it was quite high.
"You're always skeptical, aren't you?"
Unsurprisingly, Watanabe responded with an exasperated tone.
"I doubt it's as much as Kanzaki-kun said, but I think it's at least 50-50."
"Himeno-san, are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious. I mean, shouldn't you be a little skeptical?"
"There's nothing to be skeptical about. It's Honami-chan."
Himeno and Kanzaki exchanged glances. They wanted to believe that there were other classmates sharing the same doubtful thoughts they had.
The reality, however, was that students like Amikura and Watanabe were probably in the majority.
Really, they didn't take into account the possibility that Ichinose's heart may have been broken.
"I feel sorry for Honami-chan… She is being treated so poorly just for quitting the student council."
"But we'll definitely lose the class benefit if she resigns from the student council."
"I don't even know if we should complain given that we haven't ever joined the student council ourselves."
Watanabe's objection had some merit too. No one could blame Ichinose for her actions. No one had the right to do so.
If anyone were to blame Ichinose, they'd be immediately admonished.
If they didn't want to lose the student council benefits, they should run for office and do something about it.
Due to the conflicting opinions being exchanged, the karaoke box went quiet.
We hadn't even gotten to the main topic yet, but the inner workings of Ichinose's class were beginning to emerge.
Kanzaki was by no means incompetent, but he made a few statements that left him vulnerable, making it easy to refute him.
Perhaps this was due to a discrepancy between Kanzaki's thoughts and his ability to articulate them.
His inexperience with speaking out was showing on his face.
"...Let's move the conversation forward a bit. After all, Ayanokouji doesn't really know why Ichinose quit, does he?"
Distressed, Kanzaki broke off the conversation and asked me for confirmation.
It'd be better to offer a light helping hand here.
Why did Ichinose quit? They all wanted to confirm her intentions.
"I'm sorry to say this, but I don't know what Ichinose's thinking right now. I never imagined that she'd resign from the student council."
After saying this, I decided to resume before anyone else's response came back.
If I continued handing over the initiative to Kanzaki, I'd risk the conversation going back and forth.
Although I'm an outsider, I should minimize the risk here.
And it could be used as a test case I could reference later on.
"Wouldn't her classmates, who spend every day in the same class as her, know more about the situation than I would?"
"Uh, that's certain... You hit a sore spot, Ayanokouji."
Both Watanabe and Amikura were willing to trust Ichinose, but they weren't able to see the essence of the situation.
The same went for Kanzaki and Himeno.
It was good that there were multiple skeptical viewpoints within the class, but so far, this only resulted in changing a few perspectives. It didn't fulfill its job—changing the class into its ideal form.
"It's true that it's a problem that we, as classmates, don't know anything about this..."
Amikura had her own thoughts on the matter, which she reflected on.
While waiting for the four of them to answer, the waiter came to serve us the drinks we ordered.
It seemed that the karaoke was crowded since morning and the orders were taking longer than usual. The waiter asked me to order early if I wanted anything else before leaving.
"Kanzaki. Before you start lecturing Watanabe and the others, I think you need to make sure you can confirm the situation with the student council yourself.
Don't you think so?"
"But if I take action now..."
"Take action? There's nothing wrong with confirming Ichinose's true intentions. There are many ways to contact her, whether it's early in the morning or late at night, by phone, or in person."
And it wasn't only Kanzaki, but also Himeno, who had a straight face.
"Are you satisfied with just having a few sympathetic classmates while you're out there not taking any action?"
"But... I mean, I'm not particularly close with Ichinose, and I can't possibly imagine that she would tell me the truth if I asked her."
The problem with Ichinose's class wasn't limited to their blind worship.
"Then, you should try to get closer to her than anyone else. If you were close enough with Ichinose to the point you two could confide in each other without keeping any secrets, Himeno, there wouldn't have been any doubts or suspicions here."
All that Himeno needed to do was to extract the information and share it with Kanzaki as soon as possible.
Her expression became rigid and she didn't seem to know how to respond.
"Wait a minute... I understand what Ayanokouji's trying to say, but you're going a little overboard..."
Watanabe, who had been on the receiving end of the blame from Kanzaki and the others up to this point, came to her defense.
"It isn't easy for Ichinose to speak her mind... If it were easy to share your feelings, no one would have a hard time."
He answered, perhaps sensing the tension becoming heavy in the room.
His words showed a high level of awareness when it came to protecting his friends.
Even in the midst of bad news, there were things that came to light through discussions like this.
"I don't know the details of what Ichinose acts like with her classmates.
That's why some questions come to mind."
"Such as?"
"If you can't ask her directly, you can observe her and come to understand her feelings on your own. If there's a student who's not feeling well, anyone would notice and ask, 'Are you okay?' If Ichinose doesn't always have a poker face, looking for changes in her expression can be a useful method."
One essential aspect of understanding emotions is looking at the other person's facial expressions.
Regardless of whether they knew the details, I wanted to know if there were any noticeable changes in Ichinose's behavior before and after she left the student council.
The four of them were probably thinking hard about their most recent time spent with Ichinose.
I would like to know if there were any gestures, facial expressions, or events before or after the school trip that hinted at something.
Did she make any kind of SOS?
However...
"I don't know, it was the same as usual... right?"
After a period of silence, Watanabe stated that there was nothing unusual going on.
Nervous, he looked at his classmates as if seeking their agreement.
Amikura also expressed her own feelings in response to Watanabe's comment.
"That's right. If it's true that she's resigning from the student council, there might not be any change, regardless of her resignation. Even today, we were discussing the next special exam."
"...I agree with you."
Kanzaki, who probably had the most insight into Ichinose's behavior, didn't deny it. Most of Kanzaki's classmates were closed-off in their thinking and didn't share any information.
However, when those four got together and spoke, previously closed doors were bound to open.
However... this isn't really recent, but I don't know what to say, she hasn't been in good spirits since the end of the desert island test. The reason is... I don't think it's so much about Class A."
Amikura said hesitantly, casting a casual glance in my direction.
"What? Was she? I didn't notice that at all... Really?"
Not only Watanabe, but also Kanzaki seemed to be unaware of it as well.
"Indeed, it was odd."
Himeno chimed in, showing a certain understanding of Amikura's statement.
I hadn't noticed it before, but now that I think about it, that might be the case.
The two boys seemed to be clueless, but the two girls seemed to have some idea of what was going on.
"No wonder Honami-chan is so strange..."
"You seem to have an idea about the cause. Care to share, Amikura?"
"Well, um, she wasn't feeling well, but that isn't really related to her resignation from the student council, I think...?"
"Why do you assume so? Even if that's the case, if she isn't well, I'd like to know the cause as soon as possible. It's also related to the chain of command in our classroom."
"I know what you mean, but... Ayanokouji-kun, what should I do?"
She asked for help in a panic, thinking that she may have said something unnecessary.
Unlike Amikura, who was a good friend of Ichinose and knew what was going on, the rest of the group didn't seem to understand. However, seeing the strange pause and the situation where she asked me for help, Himeno had a sudden realization.
"Oh, you mean that's the cause?"
"That's what I meant!"
She wasn't a girl for nothing. Despite being one of the three who were oblivious to the circumstances, she noticed it first and was one step ahead.
"I didn't know much about it, but... seems to make sense."
"Tell us, Himeno. What could be the reason for Ichinose's lack of energy?"Kanzaki, who had been left out of the loop, asked with an approaching air.
"I don't mean to say this in front of you, but Ichinose-san's low energy has something to do with Ayanokouji-kun, doesn't it?"
Amikura nodded hesitantly at Himeno's comment.
"What do you mean...?"
Kanzaki was surprised to hear that I was the reason behind Ichinose's behavior.
If they continued to talk vaguely, Kanzaki and Watanabe would only become more confused.
Although it concerns Ichinose's private life, it's not a good idea to withhold information under these circumstances, so I'll tell you... During the desert island exam, I received a confession from Ichinose."
When I revealed the information I had been keeping to myself, Watanabe was the most shocked of all.
"A confession? Huh? What? Huh? She likes you?"
"That's what it means."
"For real? That Ichinose? With Ayanokouji?? That's huge news!"
"No way...!? I didn't know that either..."
Amikura was so shocked that she covered her mouth with both hands and couldn't speak.
"What?! Then what was Amikura talking about?!"
Panic fell in the karaoke box as each person had different information.
"I knew Honami-chan liked Ayanokouji-kun, but I was shocked to find out that Karuizawa-san had already become his girlfriend."
I didn't think Ichinose's best friend, Amikura, knew that she had expressed her feelings for me.
"It was about the same time that I found out about Kei. It's no different."Watanabe seemed puzzled by this.
"Shibata would cry if he found out about this... No, it wouldn't just stop with
Shibata..."
"Love affairs... I see..."
Kanzaki shook his head several times while holding his forehead, as if the topic was giving him a headache.
"No, but that certainly doesn't sound like much of a relation, even if she wasn't in good spirits..."
The three of them tried to separate the student council from the matter, but...
"But we don't know, do we? I don't know how long Ichinose-san has been in love with Ayanokouji-kun, but a broken heart is a troublesome matter. Maybe she's dragging it on and losing her cool."
She thinks I had something to do with her quitting the student council?
I was going to deny it, but I couldn't prove that it was 100% wrong with the current information.
"If Ayanokouji breaks up with Karuizawa and goes out with Ichinose right now, is there a chance she'll snap out of it...?"
Kanzaki muttered to himself, hoping to somehow improve the class.
"That's ridiculous, isn't it...?"
"That's an outrageous suggestion, isn't it?" While saying that, Amikura's tone seemed to imply, "What do you think?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't accept such a proposal from an unrelated party,"
...You're absolutely right."
Love and class warfare must be separated, even if they affect each other indirectly.
"I've shared this information with you, but now we should cut in from a different direction."
"Why are you so calm, Ayanokouji? I mean, you're pretty lucky to be liked by Ichinose! Have some appreciation for that!"
I didn't like him talking about such things so passionately.
Anyway, the first thing to do now was to change the four of them, who had become flippant, in their thinking.
We narrowed down our search to find out why Ichinose quit the student council.
"Is there any indication that she was feeling down about fighting against
Ryuuen's Class?"
Nobody answered as if their minds hadn't switched over yet.
After a short pause, while taking a drink, Amikura raised her hand in a small gesture.
"So far, I guess things are really the same as usual. Like, trying to win in a good way?"
"I agree. It's like we're trying to do the same thing we've always done."
"Yeah. I've heard some specific ways to fight."
Kanzaki was the only one who didn't speak up, perhaps because he was in agreement with the three of them.
However, it seemed like he was thinking about what would come next.
"That's why it can be seen as the flip side of pushing yourself too hard. Even though she's been cornered enough to quit the student council, she's putting on a front so as not to burden us, her classmates..."
Once you start thinking about it, unless you break the chain, you'll be stuck in an endless swamp of thoughts.
But Kanzaki and the others need to think about it carefully.
They must delve deeper and expand their thoughts more widely.
By giving each individual the power to think, they could revitalize the class.
"I know you want to know why Ichinose quit the student council. I understand that Kanzaki and the others are also struggling with multiple choices. But what's the real intention behind it? Do you not want Ichinose to push herself too hard, or do you want her to work even harder for the class if she's quitting the student council? I want to know more about the details of that."
I told them what I wanted to know and took a sip of oolong tea.
All of them seemed to be struggling with their answers as they remained motionless, exchanging only glances with each other.
I could tell just by looking at them.
Predictions of what Ichinose's classmates who weren't here would be thinking.
Many of them would be worried about Ichinose's mental state.
They would be genuinely worried about Ichinose as their classmate before worrying about whether their leader falls down or not.
However, that wasn't all for Kanzaki and Himeno.
"Let me speak first. Naturally, I expect Ichinose to be a leader. The student council isn't really important, and if she feels that the student council is a burden, she should quit without hesitation. What's important is whether or not Ichinose has the will to rebuild the current class and reach Class A. If she's lost that will, then we're in trouble."
"I think Ichinose still has that will. But if she gave up on Class A, then it's not something the outsiders can say anything about, right? In rare circumstances, it's a matter of personal freedom to aim for it or not."
It is no wonder that Watanabe, who showed a side of him that cares about his friends, cannot be forced to comply with him.
"Yeah... we can't force her, right?"
Amikura felt the same and expressed her willingness to accept the decision to give up.
When someone gives up, it's definitely not a good idea to force them to aim for a goal like Class A.
"However, as a leader, it's not acceptable behavior. She should relay these feelings to the class as soon as possible."
At the very least, they hoped she wouldn't drag her feet. In that respect, they didn't have to worry about Ichinose, someone who wouldn't want to trouble her fellow classmates. It was easy to imagine that she'd at least contribute to the best of her abilities for the sake of her friends.
"If she's going to give up, she'll make it clear at an early stage, because she wouldn't get good results if she continued to force herself into the leader position without intending to aim for Class A."
"So it's okay. In fact, Ichinose hasn't said anything, has she?"
"What I fear is Ichinose's inherent goodwill as a person. I said something similar earlier, but what if she's hiding the truth of giving up as a bluff and pretending to be strong? There's nothing more difficult for the class than that."
Because of her concern for her friends, she kept her feelings of giving up to herself. But if Ichinose truly had a broken heart, it wouldn't be surprising if she was pretending to be strong while secretly feeling defeated.
"I kind of understand what you mean, but... is it necessary to cooperate with Himeno-san to prevent that?"
"Not only that. We need to gather people who can offer opinions to Ichinose, to provide her with another perspective. It's important to have a second option instead of solely relying on the leader."
"Somehow, that seems a bit like a betrayal, doesn't it?"
The class led by Ichinose must've always been a united one. No, it should be. From Amikura's perspective, who held such a view, it was inevitable that Kanzaki and the others' potential actions may seem like defection.
"We need to act now before it's too late. We need to prepare for that."
"That's what I'm saying. As Ayanokouji pointed out, there are still some things to be done..."
Watanabe and Amikura, who had been slow at first, now understood the situation. However, the conversation was still vague and disjointed.
Kanzaki seemed to be acutely aware of this, and the awkward atmosphere didn't dissipate.
I guess this is the end of us trying to find Ichinose's reasons for quitting the student council.
Even if we persisted further, we probably wouldn't be able to get any closer to the truth with the amount of information we had. It was pointless to continue spending time on a discussion that had no answer.
"Kanzaki... it's about time you told me what you wanted to say."
"Hmm? Ahh."
Kanzaki looked at his cell phone to check the time as if he had just recalled something.
"The main reason for calling you out here today was to introduce a new associate. He had other business to attend to in the morning, so he's arriving late, but he should be here any moment now."
For the next 20 minutes or so, we chatted casually, without talking about anything noteworthy. We waited for a bit, talking about what happened on the school trip.
"Sorry to bother you."
"You're here, Hamaguchi."
Hamaguchi? When I turned my gaze, Tetsuya Hamaguchi from Ichinose's class showed up.
"Hamaguchi-kun really...? No way, That's surprising..."
Watanabe and Amikura exchanged glances, and Amikura's expression revealed that Hamaguchi was not someone they were expecting to see.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. I wonder if we've met face to face like this since the desert island test."
"Maybe. I was indebted to you for all you did for me then."
It was still fresh in my memory that they politely welcomed me, a stranger, in the midst of the need to conserve food.
"I didn't do much. Where should I sit?"
"For the time being... Hamaguchi, please sit here."
Kanzaki got up from his seat and led Hamaguchi to the other side of the room.
"Was it Hamaguchi who was supposed to join us later?"
"Yeah. I guess you could say it's just Hamaguchi for now."
In other words, except for Watanabe and Amikura, who unexpectedly decided to jump in, there were three of us.
"I've already talked to Hamaguchi about helping us on this matter."
"That means he is officially the third member of the team."
Kanzaki and Himeno had come up with someone who could change
Ichinose. Of course, Watanabe and his classmates didn't understand the situation.
However, it was Kanzaki's will that allowed these two to be present at the meeting, even if it was by chance. If he felt they were an obstacle, he could have rescheduled the meeting and held it on another day.
"We've come to the point where we have to start moving forward."
Himeno nodded silently at Kanzaki's determination, which had increased by one gear.
"Wait, Hamaguchi-kun. I heard from Kanzaki-kun, but do you know what you're going to do?"
"Ichinose-san's mental state is in a precarious condition. It's not a good idea to leave it as it is. I've been thinking about this since becoming a second-year student, not because Kanzaki-kun pointed it out to me."
Apparently, Hamaguchi had already detected Ichinose's anxiety.
"Really? You had never shown any such indication before."
"That's true. The class didn't like that kind of atmosphere. No one would follow me if I tried to take action on my own, because we've all seen how Kanzakikun has been suffering from it for so long."
The details here were unknown to me, a member of another class, but the truth and weight of it were evident in the gestures and expressions of the classmates here.
"I don't want Ichinose-san to be removed as a leader. I want her to be able to support her classmates in times of trouble. Kanzaki-kun's invitation came at the right time."
"Even when I was left isolated during the unanimous special exam, Hamaguchi kept checking on me when no one was around. I could tell from his behavior and tone that he understood how I was feeling."
By observing his actions and demeanor, it's clear that Hamaguchi is both dependable and trustworthy.
It may be similar to Yousuke's role and potential in Horikita's class.
"Was it really okay to tell me and Amikura such a secret?"
"It's a gamble. It's important to proceed slowly under the radar, but with Ichinose's departure from the student council, we've decided that it's no longer a scenario we can afford to take our time with. If we can't bring in Watanabe and
Amikura, we'll soon be at a standstill."
From the chance contact, it seemed that Kanzaki saw the light and chose to move forward. Amikura's comments were more pro-Ichinose, but she also had her own ideas.
"I don't mind being trusted, but..."
"Well, I promised not to tell anyone, didn't I?"
Both parties seemed to be confused, but they didn't seem to be betraying each other.
"I'm not asking you to take our side immediately. I just hope that you'll change your mind, even if it takes a while. So far, you've been too keen on leaving the decision up to Ichinose."
"It'd be a different story if you're planning on doing something bad, but I understand that you're acting for the good of the class. I'll think about it, though I won't make up my mind immediately."
Watanabe, who showed a certain understanding, replied with a slight smile stretching from his cheeks.
"I may not be able to say anything yet. But as Watanabe said, I won't tell Honami-chan about this. That's all I can say now..."
"That's enough."
I don't think they'll respond to Kanzaki's expectations if they forcefully ask them, here and now, to do more than that.
"By the way, what exactly do you and Kanzaki plan to do from now on?"
"Specifically? The first step is to save the class..."
As Kanzaki was about to continue with his statement, he suddenly looked at the door, which was opened with a bang.
"Oooooh! I'll get out of your way~!"
Both Ishizaki and Komiya entered the karaoke box without permission.
Did someone here call them? I thought, but it didn't look like it.
Clearly, the atmosphere was different from what it had been just now.
"What're you doing here on your day off? Please include me in the conversation."
Ishizaki's eyes turned to me for the first time, not knowing that I was there.
"Why's Ayanokouji here in this gathering?"
"Why are you here, Ishizaki and Komiya?"
"Why, well, there are a lot of reasons. You know?"
Ishizaki looks somewhat annoyed and lets his gaze wander off towards Komiya.
"Oh, oh. We were both at karaoke and I saw you guys. I thought it would be more fun to have a bunch of people singing than just two guys singing in solitude."He replied by touching the glass door of the karaoke room with a bang.
"We don't get along at all, do we?"
Amikura cut right into Ishizaki and the others.
"That's... that's... you see. That's why? We're trying to get to know each other through singing."
Obviously, they were making up some lame excuses.
Not wanting to let the charade continue, Kanzaki revealed the purpose of the two.
"Since the day the special exam was announced, we've been getting outrageous contact from Ryuuen's class day after day."
"Again?"
Amikura crossed her arms in disgust, though she didn't seem to be angry.
"What's so outrageous about it?"
"You're barging into another group's box without permission, no?"
"We just came to check on our fellow second-years. We just wanted to see what you were singing. You seemed to be having a good time so we were wondering if we could join you."
Ishizaki was putting up a string of painful excuses to match Komiya's, but no one believed him.
"I'm sorry, but this isn't a study group meeting today."
"It seems like..."
Ishizaki noticed that there were no study materials on the table and scratched his head.
Ryuuen's class was pitted against Ichinose's class. Amikura's "again" suggested that this had been happening repeatedly since they made the decision to go up against each other.
"So can you leave?"
Unless they were studying, there was no merit for Ishizaki and Komiya staying since they seemed to be just a group that enjoyed karaoke.
"Tsk. Let's move on to the next one."
Finally, Ishizaki and his classmate left the room, clicking their tongues in blunt admission.
"They're a bunch of idiots. No, it's all Ryuuen giving them orders."
"That's right. They should study seriously, but all they think about is dragging us down."
"It's just like last year's final exam."
At that time, Ryuuen was also involved in quite dangerous behaviors because he was trying to win. I doubted that Ryuuen would overdo it this time, but I didn't know what kind of measures he'd take.
"Are you under any pressure to sign an unreasonable contract?"
"It's okay, we've already taken a firm countermeasure. Of course, we can't say that there won't be any trouble in the future, so we'll remain vigilant."
Kanzaki stood up and returned to his seat after making sure Ishizaki and Komiya really left.
"I'm going to get back to the main topic now. The first step to save the class is to quickly ascertain what state of mind Ichinose is in. If we don't get her back to normal, we won't be able to move forward or backward."
Indeed. Now was the time when no one knew Ichinose's true state of mind.
"I wish there was some way to get a complete picture of what's going on..."
"I guess the only way is for us to be there for Honami-chan."
"What difference does it make?"
"What? I'm at a loss to say what's different..."
"It's because we've continued to stand still like this that we're where we are today."
"Hey, Kanzaki, don't be so quarrelsome. We're allowed to speak freely in this conversation, aren't we?"
Watanabe interrupted Kanzaki's lecture with a slightly angry tone and continued.
"We need the courage to put forward ideas, but if they get suppressed and crushed like that, it would be harder for the next opinion to come out, won't it?"
"...But..."
"No, I agree with Watanabe-san's opinion. I refrained from speaking out myself so far, but Ichinose-san isn't the only one who has a big problem."
In Watanabe's defense, Hamaguchi calmly expressed to Kanzaki his complaint.
"I appreciate what you're doing for the class, but what's the point if it's just spinning out of control?"
Although it was still a small group, individual members had more will than I thought. While most of the members were blindly believing in Ichinose, there were some who had doubts.
However, Hamaguchi and Watanabe weren't necessarily able to stand out in such a serious situation.
That was why they could speak freely under Kanzaki's presence, who took the initiative in coming forward.
"I don't think it's a bad idea to be there for her. I don't think Ichinose-san would easily answer if we ask her forcibly, and I think it's important to observe and assess naturally."
"You want me to take my time? In this situation where there's no more time left? It would take too long."
"No, I think it depends on how you approach it. We only know Ichinose-san as a leader, but Amikura-san is different. I think she has a lot of chances to hang out with her friends on her days off. That should open up more opportunities for us."
Amikura nodded emphatically in agreement.
"Having more opportunities is a benefit. However... there may also be downsides. Because Amikura-san and the others are regularly around Ichinose-san, they may also be more easily guarded against and unable to get close to her."
Even among close friends, there was still etiquette to be observed. Amikura couldn't just ask anything without discretion.
Himeno, who I expected to be the least likely to speak, raised a light hand before anyone else.
"Let me hear it."
"How about having Ayanokouji-kun check on Ichinose-san during the break? Then, he can ask her about things. Students in other classes usually don't trust each other, but if they're with someone they like, they'll loosen up, won't they?"
"That could work. Even Ichinose-san wouldn't mind being asked by someone she likes, and as Himeno suggested, her guard may be lowered..."Hamaguchi seemed to know that Ichinose was in love with me.
"But as I said, Ayanokouji's from another class. That's probably my biggest concern."
"But you trust him, right? You've invited him to such an important discussion."
Himeno's sharp comeback made Kanzaki stop mid-sentence.
"Let's see what our classmates don't see."
"I understand what you mean, but Ayanokouji has a girlfriend, doesn't he?
You know, Karuizawa... That's a problem in many ways, isn't it?"
"Honami-chan stands out. If she's meeting with a boy alone, rumors might start. At the very least, he needs to get permission from Karuizawa-san and prove that it's not a date... but since Honami-chan likes Ayanokouji-kun, it's not a matter of permission..."
The others started getting excited and brought up my name without my permission.
"In the first place, is it okay to proceed like this without Honami-chan? I know it's for the sake of the class, but it's kind of... I don't like it because it's like
I'm trying to take advantage of her feelings."
It wasn't surprising that Amikura, who seemed to be in a particularly close relationship with Honami-chan, would complain about this.
Class D had been centered around Ichinose in both good and bad times.
"We're not taking this initiative solely for the special exam. This is something we're doing for Ichinose's sake. It'd be absurd to tell her that we're worried about her mental condition."
Kanzaki tried to convince Amikura, but she didn't seem to be easily convinced.
"I know that you wanted to change the class during the unanimous special exam. I don't mean to say that this is a bad thing, but I don't think what you're doing behind the scenes, such as secretly consulting Ayanokouji-kun and entertaining Himeno-san, is praiseworthy."
It was a natural thought for a student from Ichinose's class, who was supposed to value transparency.
"It's clear that if you act openly, you'll get opposition. That's why, instead of acting alone, Himeno and Hamaguchi have cooperated with me. This gives strength to my opposition."
It was true that more than half of the attendees here were on Kanzaki's side.
If it were Kanzaki alone, he'd have to fight one against four, but now it was practically three against two.
With allies on his side, he could expect help from reinforcements.
"I guess setting up a date with Ayanokouji-kun is the way to go."
Himeno tried to conclude so, but Amikura still had a hard expression, and she didn't change her position.
"You don't seem to have any hesitations. Are you that dissatisfied with Honami-chan's way of doing things?"
"I am..."
"Kanzaki understands, right? He was always giving his opinions by Honami's side, and sometimes he strongly advocated for his own opinions. But I've never heard Himeno do anything like that."
"Himeno-chan..."
Kanzaki tried to argue on her behalf, but Hamaguchi stopped him with his hand.
"I think it's meaningless if you don't speak up about important things like this."
Hamaguchi's ability to look at the bigger picture and judge things objectively and correctly was a great new asset.
"I don't like the stance where 'everyone holds hands and gets along with each other.' It's not a recent thing. It's been like that since before I entered this school. I don't really like socializing with friends, and if anything, I feel more comfortable being alone."
Until now, Amikura would've never known that Himeno had been thinking that.
"But I'm not good at expressing my opinion, and I thought it was easier to just go along with whatever everyone else was doing and stay quiet. So whenever I was invited to do something with the group, I'd just go along quietly, thinking that it was easier to follow along if everyone else was going to follow Ichinose-san.
That's all it was."
Himeno had never expressed her own opinions and was content to be influenced by those around her.
"But I always thought that I could never make it to Class A with only Ichinose-san's methods. Though, it can't be helped. If everyone else is going to follow without saying a word, then I have no choice but to follow."
Himeno, who probably still had a hard time making eye contact with others, continued to talk while staring at the monitor where the screen continued to play.
"But I learned that Kanzaki-kun was serious about changing the class. I learned that he didn't want to give up on graduating in Class A. So... I decided to take a chance on it."
"So it's like choosing between going along comfortably and ending up in Class B or lower or striving hard and graduating from Class A, even if it's difficult.
That's what it comes down to."
Watanabe muttered after hearing Himeno's thoughts, which he never heard before.
"I see. I understand how Himeno-san feels. I didn't understand anything before."
"It's no wonder. We never really talked about it."
But in other words, the same could be said of Ichinose. It was difficult to know how much of what she was saying was true unless she told so herself.
While expressing some dissatisfaction with the approach, Amakura also showed a certain level of understanding.
"I'll ask as a representative of the class. I want to know how Ichinose feels about resigning from the student council and her future plans. Does she still think we can succeed? I want to hear her true feelings."
Having reached a conclusion, Kanzaki said this and bowed his head to me.
"I have no particular reason to refuse..."
I said so, and Kanzaki, who usually didn't smile much, bowed his head in gratitude with a happy expression.
"But what are you going to do about the Karuizawa problem?"
"I'm not going to do anything about it. I'm just going to explain the situation to her and make her understand."
"The situation is about other classes, you know. I wonder if Karuizawa-san will honestly accept you admitting to helping us. I mean, won't she get suspicious?"
"Don't worry about that."
Although it was a sudden request, it was a good opportunity for them to try out what they wanted to try.
2
Amikura suggested that we enjoy a little karaoke, but I had to go to the bathroom before that. Although the meeting took an unexpected turn, Kanzaki and the others showed signs of growth during the discussion, which was a big plus.
The only thing left to do was to invite Ichinose out to talk about the circumstances of her leaving the student council.
It'd be preferable if Kanzaki and the others could handle this, but I didn't recommend Kanzaki and the others to do so, as it may only cause chaos in the class.
I'd like them to stay friends with Ichinose.
I didn't regret taking on the task itself, but the difficult part was getting Ichinose to accept the invitation. It was unavoidable that she'd become suspicious if I invited her out during a time when two major events occurred in a row—that being the reveal of a major special exam and her leaving the student council.
Should I just straightforwardly ask her and confirm the reason? No, it was probably better to check on Ichinose's mental state first before deciding what to do.
If asking her bluntly would lead to negative consequences, it would be pointless.
"Hey, Ayanokouji."
Watanabe followed me in a hurry to the men's restroom.
I thought he urgently wanted to do something, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
"You know… You're meeting with Ichinose next time, right? I have a favor to ask you on another matter…"
"A favor? I hope it's something simple."
I finished using the restroom, washed my hands, and returned to the hallway.
"It's probably simple, but I'm not sure… Um…"
Watanabe, who usually spoke clearly, became very brusque.
However, he thought it wasn't good to be absent from the group for too long, and he started to talk.
"Well, what is it?"
"Um... it's about Amikura."
"Amikura? Is something worrying you?"
I was sure that Amikura was the most upset by our earlier discussion.
She didn't seem to be in need of care after that, but Watanabe may have sensed something.
"No, that's not it. Well, it's a concern, but it's not that."
His words were incoherent, but I let it slide.
"I was wondering whether or not there's a guy she likes right now. I thought Ichinose might know. If you're willing to, can you ask her…?"
"I see."
I was slowly beginning to understand the circumstances, feelings, and actions of love.
I could understand the meaning behind Watanabe's words as he told me this in a stilted manner.
"You have a crush on Amikura."
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't be so blunt here!"
"It's okay. There's no one here right now."
The only thing leaking out into the hallway was the background music playing inside the restaurant and the singing from the karaoke rooms.
Rather, Watanabe's loud voice and panicking would be the problem.
"Even if that's true!"
But you never know. I didn't realize that Watanabe liked Amikura.
"I was cool even when we were in the same group. Especially during the school trip."
"You're not an elementary school student, you shouldn't show your feelings in such an obvious way."
Come to think of it, didn't he say that he was shopping with Amikura today?
It was interesting to find out that fact, and a connection began to emerge.
"Did you ask her out on a date today by any chance?"
If that were the case, then Watanabe would be quite a capable person in his own right.
"What? Ah…Well, I was aiming for something close to that. I woke up early and got ready. And then we met up in the lobby of the dorm. I was so nervous."
Looking back on their encounter, Watanabe spoke with a bitter look on his face.
"But when we started walking together, we couldn't talk at all. Usually, when I'm with a lot of people, we can talk well together, but suddenly the words
just didn't come out. It was kinda hell until we got to Keyaki Mall."
It was good until he asked her out, but after that, it didn't go well.
"You didn't like being alone with her?"
"I don't mind. But I got irritated with myself for not being able to talk well, and I thought bad things like, 'Amikura must not be happy to spend time with me.'
Then I heard Kanzaki and Himeno talking about meeting you as they walked by."
This may have been a thread of salvation for Watanabe, who was in a difficult situation.
"We were in the same group during the school trip, so I asked if I could go with her."
It may have been a decision to run away from the situation without retreating completely.
"I see, so that's how it was."
It would've been a shame to lose the two of them alone, but there was nothing worse than a date that didn't turn out well. No, I don't think Amikura even considered it a date.
"I was a little scared. I didn't think we were going to start talking about something important, but… I'm glad I found out in the end. I think I understand what Kanzaki and Himeno are thinking."
With what I had seen of Watanabe's character so far, if Kanzaki and the others had moved earlier, they may have been able to get him on their side quicker, just like Hamaguchi.
Perhaps, such students were lying idle in Ichinose's class.
"So… Can you please probe about Amikura?"
"Me?"
"You're meeting with Ichinose next, right? I'd like you to casually ask her about it."
"I don't know if I can ask Ichinose since there's no guarantee she knows about Amikura's love life in the first place."
"No, she would know. If Amikura liked someone or was dating someone,
Ichinose would definitely know."
Watanabe answered with considerable confidence, although I didn't know where it came from.
"Is Ichinose some kind of girl's information network?"
"I don't think Amikura is the type of person who goes out with a guy without consulting someone about her love life. If Ichinose knows about it at all, that would give me a chance."
"I see. So it's been confirmed that Amikura doesn't have a specific guy she likes?"
Watanabe nodded with a grin.
"Well… Actually, what I really want is for my name to come up somehow, but there's been no sign of that at all. I guess I'll just have to keep pushing forward since I don't have any rivals right now."
He analyzed the scenario and concluded that he didn't have a lead on the situation. Watanabe couldn't really grasp his own feelings when it came to romance, so he couldn't be sure of anything. However, he felt indebted to Amikura for taking care of him during the school trip.
It would be difficult to ask classmates to help with this kind of thing.
I was glad to know that Watanabe had a positive attitude.
"I'll try to find out casually, but don't get your hopes up too much. If I push too hard and make her wary, it'll be disadvantageous for both of us."
"Oh, that's totally fine."
Watanabe looked embarrassed, but at the same time, he looked happy and pleased.
3
It was past 4:00 p.m., and I was sitting alone on a bench on the second floor of Keyaki Mall when the meeting broke up after I had finished my role as a silent listener at the karaoke session.
I had decided to stay behind regardless of whether the meeting broke up early or not.
Since I had no particular purpose in mind, I decided to browse the Internet on my cell phone for a while, but before I knew it, Kei had sent me a message and a picture.
I could see at a glance that she and Satou were enjoying ourselves, cuddling with each other while making a peace sign.
It seemed that they were planning to gather in the girls' room until this evening to chat in the dormitory.
Kei was also with some others. Satou, Mori, Ishikura, and Maenzono seemed to be there.
Her ability to easily get together with her friends like this, even if she couldn't spend time with me, was one of Kei's strengths.
I was asked when I would come back, so after a little pondering, I replied that it would be after 8:00 p.m.
If I told her that I'd be back early, there was a chance that Kei would leave her friends behind and call it a day.
It was better to let them enjoy the day without being distracted.
"Well..."
There was no one else in the vicinity at the moment, and there didn't seem to be a risk of the phone being overheard.
I picked up my cell phone and called Ichinose, occasionally observing the students in the distance.
I'd like to make the appointment tomorrow if I could since there was no point in putting it off.
The call rang in my ear for a while, but Ichinose didn't answer.
Either she was spending time with someone and didn't notice, or she was taking a nap.
Alternatively, she may have been aware of the call and intentionally avoided answering it.
Did my contact with Ichinose the night before the end of the school trip changed the result? As I was looking at my call history with various thoughts in my mind, I received a call back.
"Hello? I'm sorry, I couldn't get to the phone."
The recipient's first words sounded nervous.
There was no sign of reluctance as far as I could hear from her voice.
"Are you busy?"
"Uh, no. I was just getting ready for dinner."I realized that it might've been true.
I could hardly remember calling Ichinose during these private hours.
I heard what sounded like a faint conversation on the other end of the phone. I thought it was someone else, but upon closer listening, it turned out to be the sound of the TV.
"This is a bit of a short notice, but if you're free tomorrow, can we meet?"As to get straight to the point, I immediately told her what I wanted to do.
"What…? With me?"
"Does it sound like I'm inviting anyone but you?"
"Well, no, I don't, but… But… Two people, um, just us two...?"
"Just the two of us, if possible."
There was no need for any roundabout way of saying it, so I conveyed my message directly.
Ichinose didn't reply, and a rather heavy silence followed for a few seconds."I don't have any plans… What can I do for you?"
What could she do? Depending on what it was, Ichinose might be willing to meet with me. If it was a consultation or some kind of problem, then it would be easier for Ichinose to accept. However, I couldn't reveal that I had been asked by Kanzaki and the others to investigate without arousing suspicion.
They've asked me to find out without Ichinose's knowledge.
"If there's no particular matter, would you still be willing to meet? Just the two of us?"
"It's not like that... But, um, being alone with you..."
"I want to meet with you."
"...!?"
"But if it's mentally straining for you, it might be better to not meet."I took a risk and tried to back off a little bit.
I tried to get a feel for where Ichinose's emotions lay.
"...Wait. No… it's okay"
I'm not saying I wasn't cautious, but it didn't sound like there were any feelings that I wanted to avoid.
"Are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to force you."
"I'm not forcing myself… I want to meet you too…"
"Okay. Then let's meet in front of Keyaki Mall tomorrow at 10:00 a.m."
I didn't know how much time it would take, so it was preferable to have the maximum amount of time possible.
"10:00, right?"
"Yes, see you then. If this isn't convenient for you, call me anytime."We could've had a longer conversation, but it was better to avoid that.
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
With those words, the conversation ended somewhat awkwardly.
With this, I was able to set up a meeting with Ichinose for now.
All that remained was to find out more about Ichinose's mental state tomorrow.
It would be ideal if I could learn what she was thinking while I was at it.
I thought I'd stop by a bookstore afterward.
I still had a lot of time left to spend alone that day.
It was different from the time I spent alone when I didn't have any friends.
This was also a blissful time that I noticed now that I had a different point of view.
4
After enjoying myself until the evening, I stopped by the supermarket to buy a late dinner, told Kei I was going home, and left Keyaki Mall. The temperature had dropped considerably, and I had been in a heated environment for a long time, so the temperature difference was quite bearable.
The cell phone in my pocket vibrated. When I read the message, Kei told me that she was with her friend for dinner and they just separated. I sent her a message back that I was glad she had a good day and walked alone down the deserted street to my dormitory.
On the way back, I saw the back of a female student standing still.
She didn't seem to be walking, and her eyes were fixed on the sky.
It was dark, so it was unclear who she was. However, as I approached her, thinking that she looked vaguely familiar, I immediately recognized her. There were no other students around, and I was alone.
"I'm surprised. I thought you had gone home."Himeno turned around when she heard my comment.
"What? I thought you were the one who went home."
"I thought I said I was going shopping and back home."
"I see, I thought you said something like that, but… it's too late for that, isn't it?"
Apparently, she had been listening to the conversation half-heartedly.
However, it had been almost four hours since we separated, so I couldn't help but wonder.
"So you're on your way home now?"
Himeno asked when she saw the plastic bags from the supermarket, and I nodded my head in affirmation.
"What were you doing up until this late?"
"Hmm... I've been in a daze. I went to the grocery store and went to the movie theater for no reason?"
She seemed to be like me.
"Maybe you were enjoying your time alone."
She was a little surprised by this proposal, which wasn't like Himeno, but she couldn't think of any reason to deny it.
"It's still cold at night, isn't it?"
She shivered as if she hadn't noticed.
"Actually, after we left, Kanzaki-kun and the others asked me if I wanted to hang out with them some more."
"Oh, I see."
"I thought it was important to have a chance to talk with classmates alone. But I said no.""Why?"
"To be honest, I kinda didn't like the environment and wanted to avoid it. Oh, it's not that I wanted to leave the group or anything. I just didn't like the idea of going in a group."
Although Himeno was learning to get along with others, she might still be struggling to get along with a large number of people.
"I was thinking, 'I'm comfortable alone,' and then it was night."
"So that's how it is."
"But the more time I spend alone, the more I think about it. Especially what you said to me. It really hit me. I thought you hit me right where it hurts."
It seemed that she was concerned about the struggles she had shown at the karaoke meeting.
"I realized that I hadn't accomplished anything compared to what I had imagined. I had baseless confidence that I was doing something special by teaming up with Kanzaki-kun, and that I was kind of amazing for realizing that Ichinosesan was in trouble when no one else did. It felt like someone had broken my nose."
"I'm sorry about that."
"You don't have to apologize for that. In fact, you're right."
Exhaling a white breath, Himeno turned to me and smiled bitterly.
"I thought it would be easier to do good things, but it's hard to act…"
"That's true for everyone. It must be hard for you to take action."
It wasn't my intention to comfort her, but I didn't want her worrying too much, so I just told her so.
"I'm trying to find a way forward, but I'm not sure if I can improve by taking action with Kanzaki-kun and Hamaguchi-kun."
"It's not wrong to be confused. It isn't a problem that can be solved by standing idle."
"I know, but... I thought I was starting to save the class, but the invisible wheels are starting to go haywire little by little. I can't help feeling that way." The invisible gears are starting to go haywire...?
When you tried to do something that had never been done before, anxiety would peek out.
"I don't doubt that. Still, when asked if the gears have been turning well so far, you can't honestly say yes, can you?"
"Well… that's true."
There had been sound class management, but there had been no results.That meant that the gears weren't functioning properly.
"It's a fact that a change is now coming to your class."
I still didn't know the answer to where they'd end up, fortunately or not.
It wasn't only Kanzaki and the others' presence, but also Ichinose's resignation from the student council.
I wasn't in control of many things, and the future was uncertain and unclear.
But there were two outcomes. Life or death. Ichinose's class would either be saved or they wouldn't be saved.
The course of that process, however, was beginning to be shrouded in a thick fog that no one could foresee.
March, the end of the second year, would soon arrive.
By then, Himeno's eyes would be able to see the results.
"Ayanokouji-kun, do you think there's still a chance for us to reach Class A if our class changes?"
"Do you want an objective opinion?"
"Yes. If possible."
"If I could answer that question, I would say yes... conditionally."
"Heh… I thought you'd say it's impossible. But conditionally?"
"The battle of the second years isn't so easy that you can get into Class A just by changing their mindset. In fact, the gap between Ichinose's class and Class A is getting serious. In order to make up for the difference, it'll take a lot of pain and determination. If the entire class doesn't have the resolve, you won't be able to reach it."
"Pain and determination…? What exactly does that mean?"
"I'm sorry, I can't answer that right now."
"You can't answer that, huh? I didn't expect such a response. I thought you'd say that you didn't think about it at all or that you just said it randomly or something like that."
"That's what people usually think."
"Because it's about another class's problems—their suffering. The more we suffer, the more your class will relatively benefit. Isn't that right?"
"Right."
"And yet, you're so accommodating and supportive. Why's that?"
"Because I'm eager to see what happens to Ichinose's class before they become a friend or foe."
"What do you want to see...? You sound like you can look into the future."No one could foresee the future, but we could predict and prepare for it.
"So for the time being, I'm going to lend a hand in times of trouble. If it's okay with you."
"I'm sure Kanzaki-kun will be pleased. I feel very reassured."
Himeno, who saw it favorably, made a small victory pose with both arms.
"I hope you'll be able to openly show that kind of confidence one day."
"What? Oh, I suddenly feel embarrassed…"
Saying this, she let her hands reach into her pockets and her eyes turned away with them.
5
When I was walking back to the dormitory with Himeno, I found Kei sitting on a bench touching her cell phone.
"See you later."
Himeno, reading the mood of the moment, left my side and started to walk quickly.
She lightly bowed to Kei as she sat on the bench and walked back to the dormitory.
"What are you doing here? I thought you went back to your room."
"What am I doing? What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Waiting for someone."
"Correct. Then, who is that person waiting for you? One, Ike-kun; two,
Minami-kun; three, Kiyotaka."
With each option, she raised a finger and quizzed me.
"That's an extremely difficult question. One seems to be the most likely answer…"
"If you get it wrong, there'll be a punishment game."
"Before I answer, let's hear what the punishment game is."
"I guess. I'm going to write 'Love from Kei-chan' on your forehead with a magic marker, and then we'll go to school."
"Alright, let's go with number three."
"What? You don't want to be punished that badly?"
A little angry, she got up from the bench and lined up next to me.
"So? The girl I just saw was Himeno-san, right? Why was she walking with you?"
She had a smile on her face, but there was a strong pressure behind her demand for an explanation.
"I told you that I was meeting with Kanzaki, and Himeno was one of the people in the group."
"Himeno was one of the people in the group? But Kanzaki-kun and the others weren't with you."
"We separated at once. And I just happened to meet Himeno on my way back and we had a small chat."
"Hmm? Hmm? Well, since I'm your girlfriend, I'll believe your explanation for now, okay?"
Although she said so, she didn't seem to have any doubt at all.
"You seemed to be getting along well."
"I doubt you couldn't tell that much in the dark."
"Um... yes, that's true, but... I just felt something! I don't care!"
She wrapped her arm around mine as if marking the seat next to her as mine.
"Let's talk about something fun."
"I agree."
"Let's go to Keyaki Mall together tomorrow. Christmas is coming soon."
She invited me to go with her and smiled at me. 'You know what I mean, right?' That was what the expression on her face told me.
"Since Sudo's confession didn't go so well, it's only fair that he gets a
Christmas present, right?"
"That's right. A surprise present isn't a bad idea, but going shopping with your boyfriend for what you want isn't a bad idea either."
I was sure she'd be more pleased than if I'd thought of it on my own, so that was a big help to me.
"I'd love to fulfill your expectations, but I can't do it tomorrow. Can we do it next week, please?"
"What? Did you make another appointment?"
Kei had been informed that I would meet Kanzaki and the others in advance. Since Kei wasn't connected to Kanzaki and the others and was unfamiliar with my relationship with them, she was curious but didn't pay any attention to it…
"That's right."
"Can't you spare even a little time? What do you have going on tomorrow anyway?"
Spending time with Ichinose. It was easy to avoid telling her and deceive her. However, the disadvantage of keeping it a secret was as great as the disadvantage of telling about Kanzaki and the others.
Ichinose's presence alone was conspicuous, and if I was next to her, there would be disturbing rumors.
Besides, Kei had a lot of friends, and those students would be her eyes and ears.
"Meeting Ichinose."
"...Meeting Ichinose-san?"
Kei stopped in her tracks with a distinctly different reaction than when she was told Kanzaki was meeting with me.
"Who else is there? Kanzaki-kun or Himeno-san?"
"There's no one else so far, just Ichinose."
"It's just Ichinose. I'm a little confused. Are you alone with a girl on your day off?"
I could see that her mood had clearly turned sour, but I suppose that was understandable.
In the opposite situation, a normal boy would've reacted in the same way.
"Well, yeah."
I watched Kei's reaction carefully and met her glare with my own.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Usually, you should explain the reasons and all, like, 'we're meeting, but don't misunderstand, it's not that kind of situation.' It's no good to make your girlfriend anxious, right?"
"There are several reasons to meet with Ichinose. One of which is that
Kanzaki and the others asked me to."
"...Kanzaki-kun and the others asked you? Is that correct?"
She was a little relieved to hear Kanzaki's name mentioned here.
"It's not public yet, but Ichinose has resigned from the student council.
There's a lot of confusion about that right now."
"Wait a minute. Is that so? I don't understand what's going on."
"You're wondering, right? Kanzaki and the others want to know the truth. Belonging to the student council has a positive effect on the class in its own way, so it's understandable that their classmates would be upset if she were to leave the student council instead of gaining as many points as possible now that they've dropped to Class D."
Even with this explanation, Kei could understand the anxiety Kanzaki and his classmates felt.
"But Kanzaki and the others are afraid to ask Ichinose directly why because they can't bear to hear from their leader that she's given up on the idea of aiming for Class A."
"So… You're going to ask her why instead?"
"That's what I'm going to do."
"I understand the situation, but… why are you involved in Ichinose-san's class? Why don't you just leave them be? If you help them out, they might become rivals again."
It was natural to wonder why I was involved in Ichinose-san's class. This wasn't something Horikita and others could hear.
"There are reasons to send salt to the enemy. But I can't tell you why either."
"You can't tell me…? You think I might tell someone?"
"No, I don't. I know you're very tight-lipped. I just don't think I'm ready to tell anyone about what I'm trying to do at this point."
Kei's expression tightened a little at my stern and dismissive tone.
But Kei was Kei, and it was only natural that she couldn't take it in stride.
For a moment, she tried to hold back, but then her thoughts came pouring in.
"I know you have a lot on your mind. I know that you're helping the class without my knowledge and that you're trying to find out from Ichinose-san what's going on for Kanzaki-kun and the others. But, you know… it's not nice to… meet with a girl alone on a break, isn't it? At least there are other ways to do it, like at school or just during lunch break."
Kei's lips pouted and she turned her head in the opposite direction as if she was sulking.
It would be easier if I told her I was sorry and that she was the only one who mattered.
I had already learned that it was important in a relationship to tell someone not to worry.
Then, what if it was the other way around? Even if you had an idea of the answer, you couldn't say that you understood it unless you actually tried figuring it out.
"Then, do you want to interrupt me? You can just barge in on me while I'm meeting with Ichinose on my day off."
"That's…"
"You wouldn't, would you? There's no merit in doing so. Then we're done here. We'll go shopping for Christmas presents together next week, and there should be no problem."
The atmosphere could change so heavily in an instant just by not speaking kind words.
The happy Kei who had been waiting for me under the cold weather had disappeared.
"You have your own ideas. I have no right to say anything about it."
Not only the expression on her face, but even her emotions were distant from her.
"I'm going to stop by the convenience store. You go home first."
With those words, she ran toward the convenience store without looking at me.
However, Kei's stride seemed both fast and slow as she left, and I could see from her back that she was expecting me to come after her.
All I had to do was to immediately run after her and tell her that I was sorry and that I would think of another way to meet up with Ichinose.
That would put her back in the mood she was in just before.
But I decided to break my gaze from her back and go back to the dormitory.
This would only deepen the rift between us. I wondered how Kei would react, what kind of attitude she would show, and how I would feel and act in response. It would be a good opportunity to experience all of that.