A FEW DAYS HAD passed since Kanzaki's and Ichinose's student council issue came to an end.
The second-year students had been studying and studying day after day for the upcoming special exam.
This time, the students with lower academic abilities had to bear a heavier responsibility, which had certainly produced a big change from the previous written exams.
As soon as the lunch break started, it was a daily routine for many to go to the school cafeteria, but more than half of the students left the class and took out the lunches they brought or convenience store lunches.
And on their desks, there was a bizarre scene of tablets, books, notebooks, etc. spread out.
"Ugh… I need a good night's sleep…"
"I want to play, I want to play, I want to play, I want to play…"
"Isn't the hallway noisy? It's disturbing my concentration. Can someone make it quiet?"
Various desires filled the classroom, and more and more people hummed what they wanted. In particular, many students seemed to be lacking sleep, and Sonoda was one of them.
"I want to sleep…"
She held her head in her hands and shook it, desperately trying to make the sleepiness go away.
"Let's try a little harder. After we've done this much, we'll take a break!"Mii-chan, who was teaching Sonoda, gave her a soft pep talk.
On the other hand, some students showed surprising progress.
"Satsuki, you've finished already?"
"I'm suddenly motivated now, and I'm riding the wave. I'm in a good mood."A couple, Ike and Shinohara, were studying together in chairs.
Shinohara seemed to be having a reaction she had never felt before.
"You've been attending study groups for the past few days, haven't you?"
"It's been tough, I feel like I'm paying for all the time I've been slacking off…"
Shinohara yawned sleepily but seemed positive.
"I feel like I'm getting better at it little by little."
"Oh, I'm still not there at all…"
"Well, let's work together."
"You're so reliable. That's my girlfriend!"
When Ike cried out and tried to hug her, Shinohara's textbook rained down on his head.
"I'll see you later when you're done."
"Ugh…"
"We can't keep repeating stupid things over and over again. Come on, face the problem and deal with it."
"Shinohara-san, you seem to be very motivated."
Yousuke, who was watching the situation nearby, called out to Shinohara.
"The special exam this time is a chance to make use of the students in class that have been nothing but burdens. We have to contribute to the class at least a little. Besides, I don't want to be expelled."
The reality was, if you didn't improve your abilities, you'd lose your place in the class. It had been proven in the previous case that when the time came, it would come back to you for not trying hard enough.
"You seem to be working hard too, Ike. But be careful not to push yourself too hard. It won't mean anything if you collapse before the actual exam."
"Oh."
Yousuke complimented Ike and advised him to be careful.
Such was the conversation. Naturally, students who weren't motivated to study in the first place didn't want to waste their time studying. However, it was important to be able to make an effort in such a situation.
It didn't matter if it was for their boyfriend or girlfriend. Finding a reason that suited them would make putting in the effort easier. Sudou was also motivated by Horikita.
Until now, it had been difficult for many students to make that effort, but now that the class as a whole was coming together, it was steadily becoming a reality.
"But still… the hallways are noisy."
During the time when students wanted to concentrate on their studies, there were many people passing by in the hallways, or there were constant talking and running footsteps.
At a time when they were trying to concentrate, this noise was like an uninvited guest.
"I'm going to check on things. I know there are a lot of students who are concerned."
Even if I couldn't stop the disturbance, I could at least find out the cause. Finding out what was going on should have some stabilizing effect on the restless students.
"I agree. Can you do that for me?"
It'd be best if I went and checked on the students so that they didn't disturb those that were studying.
1
When I stepped out into the hallway, students from Ichinose's class ran past in a panic. Some of the students from Ryuuen's class were heading in the same direction. It didn't take long for me to discover the source of the commotion: a crowd had gathered in front of a classroom.
Ishizaki and Albert were forcing their way through the crowd, shouting at Ichinose to come out because Ryuuen had arrived. But Shibata, who had already stepped into the hallway, stopped them.
"What's with you guys barging in like this? We're in the middle of something right now."
"Middle of something? I don't know anything about that. Just hurry up and bring out Ichinose!"
Ryuuen was standing behind them, with a smug smile on his face, giving orders to Ishizaki. However, it wouldn't be wise to make such an obvious siege. It would be easy for the school to detect their problematic behavior in the crowded hallway during lunchtime, with so many surveillance cameras around.
Could it be that those who had sensed Ryuuen's actions were hiding Ichinose in the classroom?
The situation, which seemed to be frozen for a while, quickly changed. The classroom door opened and Ichinose appeared, accompanied by several girls who seemed to be advising her to stop. Furthermore, important students like Kanzaki and Hamaguchi also appeared.
"Well, well, well. Finally, you've come out. The foolish leader who quit the student council."
Ryuuen said in his usual manner.
The announcement of the new student council structure had just been released that day. The resignation of Ichinose wasn't a surprise in itself, as it was well known to everyone.
The reason for her resignation was ostensibly to concentrate on her studies, but whether or not this was true or false was none of Ryuuen's business. He came to shake her as soon as possible, thinking that he could use this situation as a weakness.
It seemed that the timing of the meeting was deliberate. They decided that it would be more effective if they could get people's attention. In fact, there were many students from other classes who heard the commotion and came to see what was going on.
Hashimoto from Class A, made eye contact with me in an obvious manner and quickly blended into the crowd of other students.
"It's getting pretty noisy, isn't it?"
Ishizaki commented on the commotion he was causing.
"Well, of course. She infiltrated the student council early on to earn good grades. It's only natural for the crowd to want to hear about the feeling of not being able to maintain even that. Don't you think so?"
"Uh-huh," answered Ishizaki, spreading his arms lightly in response to Ryuuen's voice.
"I told them I was going to concentrate on my studies."
Ichinose, who looked a little troubled, once again explained the reason why she left the student council.
However, Ryuuen didn't care what the answer was.
"You were actually kicked out, weren't you? Or maybe you were told that an incompetent person can't serve in the student council."
"If that's the way you see it, then maybe it is."
Ichinose, realizing that it was pointless to respond seriously, matched Ryuuen's words.
"Kukuku. Or maybe your past sins are now being called into question? It wouldn't look good if the student council president was a shoplifter. I can understand the feeling of wanting to run away."
The verbal pressure from Ryuuen, who had no intention from the start to settle for sympathy, continued.
While the mention of 'shoplifting' might have stirred some thoughts in their minds, Ichinose seemed to have already developed a resistance to such discussions after the events with the student council. She didn't show any signs of being shaken by Ryueen's words.
"I don't know what to say, but it's not good to cause trouble for other people."
"Not really. A lot of people want to know, don't you think? The truth about why you quit the student council."
Not wanting to sit idly by as a fellow classmate, Kanzaki intervened between the two.
"Cut it out, Ryuuen. The reason for Ichinose's withdrawal from the student council is as announced by the student council."
"I don't care about the ostensible reason. You must already have a lot on your mind since you quit the student council! If you lose to me in the next special exam, you're going to fall off a cliff."
This was a typical statement made by Ryuuen, who was confident that he wouldn't lose to Ichinose.
Ichinose's class, which was on the decline, had no chance to rise to the top.
Furthermore, the gap between Ichinose and Class A would be doubled, which would make them more desperate than ever.
Ichinose's classmates, who didn't feel threatened now, would start to realize this fact.
"It's too much of a hassle to bother with every single exam, so we suggest that your class forfeits."
"Let's not make any more joking remarks. We're not going to give up on Class A. And we're working hard to make sure we don't lose this special exam too."
"Working hard? It's true that the only thing you guys have going for you is your stupid seriousness. No wonder you can't give up hope for this special exam, which you could win if you talk with your textbooks."
There was absolutely no way that Ichinose's class would abandon the test just because of this altercation.
If we can just shake them up a little more, that should be enough.
According to Kanzaki and the others, a lot of sabotage against their studies had already started.
Ichinose remained silent since Kanzaki's appearance, who interrupted.
It seemed as if he had nothing to say, but his expression didn't show any sign of gloom.
"Ryuuen-kun… have you not had enough?"
Seeing his unchanged demeanor, Ichinose smiled at Kanzaki, quieting his tense mood.
"You can say whatever you want to me, but I don't want you to interfere with the hardworking students. And think about the students who are going out to eat now."
She warned Ryuuen and the others who were standing spaciously blocking the corridor.
Whether to regard this situation as mere bluff or not was a delicate line, but Ryuuen decided that it had been effective enough in increasing the interest and suspicion of those around her for leaving the student council, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"I'm getting hungry too."
It was only for a few minutes, but it was amazing how Ryuuen's mere appearance could cause a commotion.
Notoriety was also reputation, and its power was undeniably demonstrated among the second-year students.
When Ryuuen and the others left, two-thirds of the students who had gathered scattered in one fell swoop.
Hashimoto was no longer there, and the usual calm lunch break returned.
Horikita's class should now be able to eat and study in a more relaxed atmosphere."Oh. Ayanokouji-kun!"
Ichinose, who noticed me after the people had scattered, approached with a smile on her face.
"I'm sorry. It was my fault, wasn't it?"
"It wasn't your fault. It's just that Ryuuen made a scene. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. It's rather convenient for us."
"That blatant provocation?"
"Ryuuen-kun will continue to sabotage us until the special exam starts.
That's because the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for us."
She didn't mind if he interfered with their studies. In fact, they seemed to want his class to interrupt them.
"Ichinose, I think it's time..."
While keeping an eye on the situation, Kamizaki spoke up with an air of reluctance, saying that he didn't have time for a long conversation
They were probably having a lot of discussions and studying for the special exam, just like how it was in Horikita's class.
"See you later, Ayanokouji-kun."
Saying this, Ichinose returned to the classroom normally without any sign of agitation.
"...See you later?"
I was a little concerned about her words, but I guess the first thing to do was to return to the classroom and explain the situation to Horikita.
2
After witnessing the commotion, Hashimoto quickly walked through the hallway to the cafeteria.
He made contact with a group of three people who were already seated and having lunch.
"Hey, Princess. Are you sure we don't have to do anything this time? I don't think it's a good idea to go head-to-head like this."
"You seem to be very concerned about Class B, Hashimoto-kun."
Putting down the chopsticks in her hand, Sakayanagi looked at Hashimoto.
"Even though they were formerly Class D, they're up to Class B now. And the gap between us isn't so big that we can laugh at it. If we lose this time, the gap will be less than 200 points. One big special exam could turn the whole thing around."
Sakayanagi didn't seem to be bothered at all, but Kamuro, sitting in front of her, was a little different.
If anything, Hashimoto's idea was easier to understand and agree with.
"Is there any connection between that story and what happened earlier when you left in a hurry?"
"I was following his example, Ryuuen is making new moves one after another to corner Ichinose's class."
"New moves? I don't think so. It's the same shape, just a different color."
"Even so. I'm a little envious, to be honest."
Hashimoto expressed his true feelings, including criticism of Sakayanagi.
However, Sakayanagi didn't seem to be bothered by Hashimoto's true thoughts and responded with a smile.
"In a special exam like this one, what we can do is extremely limited. There is not much you can do externally, all you can do is sit at your desk, stare at your textbook, and face yourself."
"I know that, but it doesn't mean that there aren't any other options available to you."
"Our classes are full of students who are not afraid of studying, who work on their own initiative and who work in teams. There is no need for me to tell them what to do, don't you think? Trying to cram more than you can handle is counterproductive."
Hashimoto bit his lip slightly and responded with an attitude that said otherwise.
It seems that you're quite dissatisfied that we aren't doing anything. So, do you want to be like Ryuuen-kun, watching 24/7, putting pressure on your opponent, and sabotaging him? I don't think that's efficient."
Hashimoto let out an imperceptible sigh and replied to Sakayanagi.
"Indeed, it may not be efficient. And considering that it's a copy of Ryuuen's strategy, the probability of the princess adopting it is low... But isn't it many times better than doing nothing? It's a nuisance to be interrupted in our studying, which requires concentration."
Hashimoto affirmed the action as if it was one way to imitate Ryuuen's strategy.
"It may make sense on the surface, but in the end, if Ichinose and the others are bothered by interruptions, won't they stay in their dormitories? What's the point of changing the place to study?"
Kamuro asked curiously, tearing a piece of bread.
"You can see the root of the reason why we study and work outside. Studying in front of the public makes it easier for me to concentrate because I can't skip class, and I can relax a little more. Isn't that right?"
"Certainly, studying is not always about confining yourself. Especially for those who are not used to studying regularly, studying in a place where people can help you can make it easier to learn."
"So Ichinose and others continue to study even though they know they're in a place where they'll be interfered with."
Kamuro nodded her head in agreement as she spread jam and put a piece of bread in her mouth.
"But you forgot the important thing, Hashimoto-kun."
"The important thing?"
"It takes a lot of manpower to sabotage. Besides, sabotaging in front of the public doesn't give a good impression.""…That's…"
At the very least, it looked far from the behavior of Class A champions.
"Furthermore, you'll lose a lot of learning time if you use that strategy. You won't be able to reduce the opponent's score catastrophically, and you'll lose the opportunity to score as many points. The next idea that comes to mind is to hire first-year or third-year students and ask them to interfere, but there's no guarantee that they'll do a good job for the price, and you'll need more people to monitor their work. In this case, it's inefficient because there won't be a significant change in class points this time."
Hashimoto, who remained in denial, continued to think about what he could do, avoiding thoughts about giving up.
"Then there's no problem if I operate alone, is there?"
I don't recommend it. His way of doing things is a strategy that fits the phrase, 'putting the cart before the horse' very well."
He continued to sabotage with unknown effectiveness by reducing the number of people and time to study.
"Moreover, it's the same for one person or ten people. If your harassment of the other class becomes known, it's not only your fault, but it degrades the dignity of Class A. Don't you think so?"
Even if Hashimoto claimed that he acted alone, how many people would believe him?
The more effective it was, the more likely it would be judged that Sakayanagi was giving orders behind the scenes.
"When you put it that way, it's like saying that Ryuuen's strategy is also unnecessary, right?"
"That's not exactly true. Even if it's a useless strategy for us, Ryuuen-kun's class adopts the strategy of obstruction, which is very significant, unlike ours. They are the least motivated and the least skilled students among the second year's four classes. Even if they start studying seriously at their desks now, they won't come close to the Ichinose-san's class's academic abilities. That's why they're betting on making their opponents fall instead of improving themselves."
While Hashimoto continued to insist that something should be done, Sakayanagi offered a solid theoretical explanation.
"So we can win as it is, right?"
"If all goes well, we'll win this special exam. However, according to the rules, our opponent has the upper hand in determining the outcome. It seems that the rule was set so that lower classes can also fight against higher classes, but unlike us, who are in the higher ranks, the lower classes have the right to the highest score. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to compete in this format."Even if Sakayanagi's class achieved a perfect score, it couldn't match Horikita's class's perfect score due to the rules.
"Defeat is alright as well, though unlikely. If Horikita-san's class's score exceeds ours and wins, it would be an opportunity to collect information."
" …Information-gathering?"
"Among the low-level students, there may emerge students who have potential. If we can determine this, we can improve the accuracy of our priorities— who has to be eliminated. In this sense, Ryuuen-kun's strategy is still a foolish one since it blurs the picture."
The results of the special exam were to be announced to the opposing class in detail.
If there was a student who performed remarkably well, it was inevitable that they'd be noticed.
You still don't seem happy about it."
Kitou, who had been silent so far, threw a firm remark against Hashimoto.
"No, I understand what you're saying, Princess. However… I'm wary of Class B. It's not a bad thing to think that they might catch up to us if we're not careful, is it?"
Hashimoto didn't say anything else, but the first candidate was undoubtedly Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
And they couldn't ignore potential opponents such as Kouenji, whose potential was first-rate.
"It'd be fine if we just lose this special exam. But the end-of-year exam would be against Ryuuen. The fluctuation of class points would be bigger than ever before, so we can trust that we won't lose that one, right?"
"The end-of-year exam requires a certain amount of strategy. There's no way I can lose unless there's a special condition like this that gives the lead to a certain class. Of course, Ryuuen-kun would respond in the same way."
Neither of us had any doubt about our chances of defeat when it came to the real thing. But at the end of the school year, one of the leaders would surely be defeated, and that would have a great impact on the Class A competition."I'm sorry, I overstepped the mark a bit. I'll go cool off."Hashimoto replied, apologized to Sakayanagi, and left.
He then took off his jacket, put on his shoes, and walked out the front door toward the dormitory.
A male student approached Hashimoto.
Neither of them called out to the other, and they began to walk side by side."It seems that you had been struggling a lot."
The man who answered in an amused tone understood the situation because he had been watching the cafeteria through the glass.
"I'm a realist, but I'm also a romantic."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'm a realist and a romanticist, you see."
"Those have opposite meanings. What do you mean by that?"
"A realist is a pragmatist. If you think about it normally, you wouldn't think that Sakayanagi would fall behind Ryuuen. We'll win by getting rid of Ryuuen's tricks. Well, it's predictable that it will show off Class A's dignity in a straightforward way."
"Yes, that's probably what most people think."
"However, in the world of manga, novels, and dramas, it wouldn't happen that way, would it?"
"You mean Sakayanagi will lose?"
It's not realistic for Class A, who's in the lead, to keep winning. It wouldn't make a good story. It'd be more exciting if they were brought down to the same level during the end-of-year exams. Then in the third year, it would be a three-way battle between Ryuuen's, Horikita's, and Sakayanagi's classes. And ultimately, one of the classes would lose and be dragged down from the top spot, leading to the ending..."
For the students in Class A, such a fantasy was extremely unacceptable.
"I see, you're indeed a romantic."
"We have to be ready for either Horikita or Ryuuen."
"That's a very Hashimoto-esque idea."
Fortunately, Hashimoto was in a position to have some information on Class A.
"However, I need to be careful not only behind but also in front and to the side. I can't trust you for free either, can I? Kaneda."
Kaneda smiled wryly and put his finger on the rim of his glasses when his name was called.
"It's perfectly natural to suspect you of being Ryuuen's puppet. You have been and will continue to be so. I'm not sure if I'm right or wrong in my calculations."
"I work for myself, and you work for yourself. That's the best relationship."
Kaneda showed Hashimoto the words he had typed on his cell phone, and when Hashimoto nodded his head, he erased all the words. Kaneda stopped moving forward and naturally moved away from Hashimoto.
"I wonder if I should follow Sakayanagi, Ryuuen, or Horikita's class? It's time to make a decision."
Looking ahead to the end of the school year and beyond that, to the third year.
Hashimoto continued to think about what he could do for himself.
3
After school on the day when Ryuuen and Ichinose, opponents in the upcoming battle, had a small altercation, Horikita invited me to a study group as usual, but naturally, I declined.
Horikita invited me to a study session, but I declined the invitation as a matter of course.
Kei had been paying attention to me while avoiding talking to me since this morning, and I had no plans for the rest of the day.
That was why I could devote my time to solving the troublesome problems that had been thrust upon me.
The word 'shoplifting' had been thrown around a lot lately, and this was the case that started it all.
Why was Kiryuuin Fuuka almost accused of stealing?
It was probably true that she claimed not to have any friends, judging from her words and actions.
Of course, there was the fact that she was disliked, not only by her classmates, but also by the entire third-year students because of her personality.
However, it wasn't easy to think of incriminating her.
If Kiryuuin had been recognized as an obstacle to competing in the Class A competition during her first year, it might've been considered a strategy without regard to right and wrong, but now that the game was already decided, what was the point of taking such a risk?
The most likely scenario that had emerged was that Nagumo would harass the participants by giving them indirect instructions.
Nagumo, who was hungry for a heated competition, was trying to harass Kiryuuin in order to make her take it seriously.
However, judging from the way he brushed off Kiryuuin at the student council meeting the other day, we couldn't be absolutely sure of this. It might've been a good time to reveal his intentions and challenge Kiryuuin.
That was why Kiryuuin wasn't sure of her exact decision.
There were several options available to me as I proceeded with my investigation.
One was to confront Nagumo, the leading candidate, about this case, and the other was to talk to Yamanaka, the person who tried to plant the goods in
Kiryuuin's bag. The last was to seek information from a trusted third party to better understand the situation of the third-year students.
The third-year students didn't have much interaction with each other.
The only people I had the contact information of were former student council members such as Nagumo and Kiriyama.
So, I had no choice but to walk to the school and get information directly.
Of course, I didn't intend to waste my time in the dark, but I had my own reasons for doing so.
The person who seemed to have the most useful information for me right now, and who wasn't likely to have any connection with the people who framed Kiryuuin.
I found some third-year students who were working alone and tried to gather information.
From the information I gathered, I learned that the person I was looking for had gone to the gymnasium, so I headed there immediately.
However, I didn't spot them on the way and arrived at the gym.
It seemed that the club activities had already started, and I could see my classmate Sudou practicing the basics carefully while shouting louder than the others.
"They're not here."
As the club members started to gather one after another in the gymnasium, I decided to leave so as not to disturb them.
I asked the students who were going to the gym, but couldn't get any new information.
I couldn't see them after all, but when I went back to the entrance and checked their shoes, I found that they were still in the school.
They disappeared, but they might still be inside the school?
It was almost 5:00 p.m., and there weren't many students left in the school other than club members.
At the risk of being conspicuous, I decided to go to the area where the thirdyear classrooms were located.
I looked around all four classes, but there was still no sign of them.
It might've been wiser to stay at the entrance and ambush them.
At that time, I overheard a report that the person I was searching for had gone to the staff room.
I finally arrived at the staff room and succeeded in finding the person I was looking for talking with the teacher from the corridor.
Since teachers often came and went at this time after school, I decided to wait for them to come out from a little distance away so that they wouldn't notice me.
After about ten minutes, the student I was looking for finally emerged from the staff room.
I always had the image of a cheerful person, but today their expression was rather dark, and they walked with a downcast look on their face. They crossed the hallway without noticing my presence as I watched over the staff room.
After a little hesitation, I decided to follow the student from a distance. I called out to them as they were putting on their shoes at the entrance.
However, the person didn't head for the entrance immediately and went up to the stairs toward the rooftop.
I wondered if the person was meeting someone since there was no way for them to go up to the roof.
As I was thinking this, the person stopped and I heard a faint sobbing voice. It seemed that this wasn't a place to meet someone, but a place to avoid people.
The school building was strangely silent. The sound of crying was strangely noticeable, even if they tried to hold it in.
If someone who didn't know what was going on came here, they might've thought that I had made the person cry.
I could've walked away without being noticed, but I had my own business to attend to.
"Umm."
I tried to speak to them briefly and as unsurprisingly as possible.
However, they probably had no idea that there was a person nearby, and their excessive alarm was visible.
"Huh!? E-eh, Ayakouji-kun!?"
"I'm sorry for surprising you."
"Sorry, sorry. Wait, wait a minute!"
"It's not necessary to apologize..."
The person in question was still surprised, but hid their face too late and hurriedly wiped away the tears running down their cheeks.
"I'll come back later if the timing's bad, but..."
"It's okay, it's okay. It's all right!"
She tugged at my sleeve to keep me from leaving. I didn't expect that kind of reaction.
Maybe she instinctively sensed the risk of me leaving and then telling others that she was crying, which was why she tried to keep me here.
Then we waited quietly for a few minutes until Asahina regained her composure.
"…Yeah. I'm fine now."
Asahina answered, coughing once and muttering shyly.
"I'm sorry."
"Again, don't apologize. It was my fault for startling you."
"That's not what I meant. I showed you how bad I look."
I didn't pursue the reason for the tears because I didn't want to go into something irrelevant. However, perhaps this bothered her. Asahina started to talk about the reason herself.
"This morning it was Succhii— Rather, Moeka who quit school. Suchi
Moeka from Class C."[2]
(TL Note : Succhii is spelled with Katakana ( スッチー), which implies that this is a nickname)[2]
"Is she dropping out at this time of year? It's not a penalty for a special exam, is it? Did she withdraw voluntarily?"
There should've been no special exam among third-year students in the past two days.
However, Asahina shook her head in denial.
"The reason, she said, was that she had committed a serious offense. She said she was being punished for her disruptive behavior. I wanted to know the details, so I asked the teacher, but she insisted that she couldn't tell me." So that's why she was visiting the staff room.
As for Asahina, who was in Class A, it didn't matter to her if someone from Class C was expelled from school. However, it was needless to say that they were friends beyond the boundaries of their classes, judging from the way she was talking.
"You didn't get to speak with her?"
"Moeka withdrew yesterday, and by the time I was notified this morning, she was no longer in the dormitory. There has been no contact from her… I've been asking around since then to see if any of the Class C students knew anything, but in the end, I didn't learn anything."
Either no one knows the reason why Suchi left, or someone knows and is hiding it.
Horikita Manabu's generation, Nagumo's generation, Horikita Suzune's generation, and first-year students like Nanase and Amasawa.
I only knew a little about each of the years, but it was obvious that Nagumo's generation seemed to be the most likely to have people dropping out of school.
Still, it was a little worrisome to see students dropping out for reasons unrelated to the special exam. The school was withholding details, probably because they considered it such a serious violation that it could have negative repercussions.
"I'm just guessing here, and I have no idea what kind of rule she broke, but I have a feeling I know why she did it. All the students in Class B and below are constantly thinking of ways to sneak into Class A every day. I'm sure Moeka did something she shouldn't have done among them."
"In your generation, Asahina-senpai. Isn't it Nagumo-senpai who's in charge of everything?"
If Nagumo recognized them, they were in Class A. If not, they'd be eliminated.
That was the way for the third-year students to survive, as it had been shown so far.
However, Asahina's cloudy face suggested that there was something else.
"So there's another way that would allow the third years to move up to Class
A?"
"…I'd say it's more like a loophole. How's your relationship with Nagumo…
Ayanokouji-kun?"
"What do you mean by 'how'? It's usually not good, and it hasn't changed."
"This is something that the other students in the year don't know about…"
"Oh, I see. I won't tell anyone or anything like that."
When I told her this to reassure her, she was relieved and started to talk about the reality of her third year. She was probably feeling the need to vent because her friend had been expelled from the school.
"Last year, when Nagumo became the student council president, it was said that Class A was sure to win, and there was no hope for Class B and below. That's why everyone was happy when Nagumo made a promise that he'd bring them up
to Class A if they were successful and had the ability."
However, it wasn't such a sweet deal. In this school system, very few students could move to another class even if they collected enough class points.
In the middle of the conversation, Asahina exhaled and shook her body slightly at the same time.
She had hoped to graduate together with Moeka in Class A.
That dream didn't come true and she quit school before graduation.
"What did Nagumo-senpai say about Sachi's withdrawal?"
"Nothing. In fact, he might not even care. There was an announcement from the teacher, but there's a possibility that he didn't even notice." So, he doesn't pay attention to the small fries that are leaving.
I didn't dislike Nagumo's way of thinking.
"If you don't mind, can we change the location for a while? It's getting kind of cold."
It seemed that the adrenaline that had been pumping through her system during the time she was in the staff room had calmed down, and her body remembered the cold.
Unlike the heated classrooms and the staff room, the corridor was still chilly.
The temperature was beginning to drop as the evening approached.
Since I had many questions for Asahina, we decided to go to a café in the Keyaki Mall, although it was a little far away.
4
Asahina, who ordered hot tea, held the cup in both hands and brought it to her mouth in a delicious manner.
"So, to continue what we were talking about earlier, you're saying that the dissatisfaction and opposition to Nagumo-senpai is becoming increasingly active by the day, right?"
"Yes. I don't know exactly how many people are involved. Basically, such information isn't revealed to Class A. You don't know about the contract Nagumo has made with the third-year students, do you?"
"I thought they were using some method to bind the year together, but nothing concrete."
"Then let's start with that."
With that said, Asahina took a moment to look around to make sure no one was nearby before elaborating on the contract's details.
For the first time, Nagumo Miyabi's contract with many of the third-year students was revealed.
The transfer of 75% of the private points earned each month to Nagumo Miyabi personally.
To comply with Nagumo Miyabi's instructions and not to engage in hostile behavior.
To earn the right to acquire tickets, one must collect a certain number of points that they've earned and been recognized for.
The funds to transfer must be handed over the day before the class finalization.
If a person disobeys Nagumo even after winning a ticket, their right will be revoked.
Students who abide by the above five conditions will be eligible to compete for the tickets worth 20 million points.
And one more thing.
"Nagumo's going to leave tens of millions of points and let the students who signed the contract draw lots at the end."
This meant that, even if they failed to get a ticket through this contract, they still had a chance to go to Class A with a lottery.
The contract that Nagumo made to the students in the classes below him was secure because Class A's status, which Nagumo led, was good... Since it was impossible for an individual to accumulate 20 million points, private points would be collected from many others and converted into class transfer tickets.
Students in Class B and below usually had a zero percent chance of graduating within Class A, but with this redistribution of wealth, their chances would increase, if only by a few percent.
The fact that some students, such as Kiriyama, had already earned the right to do so suggested that it was having some effect. A 75% rate was very high, but this was important for the proposition of giving as many students as possible a ticket. At the same time, it was advantageous to Nagumo. By not allowing them to handle large sums of money, Nagumo deterred them from starting a rebellion.
"So he forced this on Class B and below."
"Yes. Only Nagumo knows exactly how many students signed the contract.
But I think most of the students probably agreed to it. And we, Class A, also gave 50% of our points to him, although it's not by contract."
Only Class A students who were sure to win could use their full amount of private points freely every month. This was a natural right, but students in the lower classes may have felt dissatisfied.
Nagumo understood this part of the situation, which was why he was able to adjust and control the situation.
In the third year, Class A was the lone lead. Therefore, even if the 50% share was paid, it would be more than the full 75% amount collected from the other three classes. Nagumo, who had the power to decide the special exams' results at will, was the king who was in control of everything.
"I happened to be placed in the same Class B that Nagumo was originally in. He worked hard to move me up to Class A and created the environment that I'm in now. I know I'm not qualified to say this, but I've been taking advantage of it this whole time…"
She seemed afraid to say it, but she pulled the heavy words out from the back of her throat.
"I heard that Moeka dropped out of school because of the environment Nagumo created, even if indirectly. When I thought about that, my tears started to overflow..."
That was probably the reason for Asahina's crying face she showed at the school building earlier.
I didn't think there was a direct relationship between Suchi and Kiryuuin, but what Asahina said about Nagumo 'indirectly' being the cause might've implied so.
"Asahina-senpai, can you lend me your help?"
"Help? With what?"
"What's your relationship with Yamanaka-senpai in Class 3-D?"
"Yamanaka-san? I've spoken with her, but we don't get along particularly well. I don't think I can help you…"
'We don't get along particularly well.' Hearing those words was actually quite convenient for me
"Since you're a third-year student, it's more important for me to have you speak objectively about Yamanaka."
"Is that so?"
I took out my cell phone and displayed Ikuko Yamanaka's OAA, a thirdyear student from Class D.
She was a typical Class D student—below average in all abilities. Nothing noteworthy.
"Does she have a wide social circle?"
"Well, I don't know. I think she gets along well with her female classmates, but she's not the type to be very outgoing. She's not popular with everyone."
I didn't want to rely on Asahina's evaluation alone, but it seemed safe to say that she didn't have more than what the OAA indicated.
"What I'm about to tell you is off the record, please."
"That's kind of funny. We're both talking in secret."
"Yeah."
I told Asahina about the situation with Kiryuuin being nearly accused of shoplifting.
At first, Asahina was surprised, but soon she began to understand the situation.
"I see. So you wanted to talk to me about doing an investigation on the thirdyear students."
"You're the only person I thought I could trust."
"I'm kind of glad. When I'm around Nagumo a lot, I'm more likely to be suspected of knowing more."
Well, if you thought about it, it wasn't unreasonable to assume so when she had a close connection with Nagumo.
"What do you think about this case from your viewpoint?"
"I've only spoken to Kiryuuin-san a few times over the past three years, so I don't know much about her. However, she's probably exactly as you imagine her to be."
"Yes, that's true."
"I'm not saying that there's absolutely no chance of Kiryuuin-san and Yamanaka-san having a grudge against each other, but it's another thing to think about framing her for shoplifting out of revenge. If it were found out, you might be expelled from school, right?"
"Kiryuuin-senpai was actually able to notice it right away, and Yamanakasenpai ended up failing. If it had been immediately reported to the school, as you said, the possibility of expulsion might not have been zero."
In other words, something inexplicable had been happening from the very beginning of this incident.
"But... I see. I think I remember something."
"You do?"
"Yeah. I think it was right after she almost got accused of shoplifting. I saw Kiryuuin-san stomping on a boy on the way home after she made him fall down."
"She trampled him?"
Kiryuuin-san was usually elegant and composed. It was hard to imagine, but...
"They were probably hindering Kiryuuin-san's attempt to go after
Yamanaka-san. She was quite angry and was pushing him as if to interrogate him. I don't know why the boy was trying to protect Yamanaka-san but I couldn't help but feel bad. He must have had a scary experience."
"By the way, who was she pressuring?"
"It was Anazai-kun from Class D, I think?"
A new name. Was he manipulating Yamanaka and trying to sabotage her, or was he just trying to protect her from Kiryuuin as a classmate?
This still needed to be figured out.
"I want to talk to Yamanaka-senpai, can you contact her for me?"
"What? Uh, yes. It's not that hard…"
"Then, please..."
As soon as she contacted Yamanaka via chat, the message was marked as read.
"Can I tell her that you want to see her?"
I nodded and told her it wasn't a problem and then she sent another text.
"I got a read but she didn't reply."
Asahina-senpai stared at her phone for a while, but after a few minutes, she received a message.
"If you don't mind waiting, she said she would be here in about 30 minutes."
"No problem, I'll wait. Thank you."
"It's no big deal. I'm curious about the truth too."
Since I had time, I decided to ask Asahina-senpai about her school life, special exams, etc. for a while.
5
We were just a few minutes away from the appointed time. Just as I ran out of drink in my cup, a male student approached us.
"Asahina, is this Ayanokouji?"
"What? Tachibana? Yes, but…"
"I'll be disturbing you guys for a bit."
A student named Tachibana roughly pulled out a chair and sat down emptyhanded. Then he immediately put his arms on the table and leaned forward to talk to me.
"What do you want with Yamanaka?"
Tachibana Kento. He was a classmate of Yamanaka's in Class 3-D.
I was expecting Anazai to appear, but it turned out he was another new face.
"Wait a sec, huh? Why did you say that…?"
Asahina-senpai was clearly confused at this sudden appearance.
"I guess you got a message from Yamanaka-senpai, right? She asked you to check things out?"
"Huh? I'm the one asking the questions here, you know."
He didn't show any sign of weakening his aggressive posture, perhaps because he was a senior. He was probably someone who was superior to Anazai in terms of physical and mental strength.
"This is about Kiryuuin-senpai, you know?"
"What does that have to do with you?"
"I'm not directly involved, but I've been asked by Kiryuuin-senpai to ascertain the truth."
"Are you some kind of detective or something? If so, tell her what
Yamanaka-san told her before."
"That Nagumo-senpai sent you to frame her for stealing, right?"
"Right."
"Hey, is that true, Tachibana? I can't believe Nagumo would let her do such a thing."
"You can't believe it? Nagumo's always the one who makes us do such things. He's enslaving us and using us like limbs."
From the looks of it, it seemed that they were at least different from the faction that supported Nagumo. It wouldn't be out of place if they called themselves an anti-Nagumo faction.
"I have no choice but to follow him, no matter how much I don't like it. Just like Yamanaka."
Tachibana exhaled in a bored manner and tilted his head slightly.
"If you understand, don't get involved with Yamanaka again. Okay?"
"My apologies, but I can't do that either. Nagumo-senpai didn't approve of this matter."
"You can doubt me all you want, but it's the truth. We can't go against
Nagumo."
"You have a contract with Nagumo-senpai, don't you?"
Tachibana stared at Asahina and gave her a look as if asking, 'You even told him that?'
"Then you know what I'm talking about."
"I'm sure you could've collected private points and redistributed them into large sums of money that could be transferred to different classes. Why did so many people go to the trouble of following Nagumo's instructions?"
"You don't understand. We, Class D and C, didn't have any class points left before the contract was made. Even if the whole class worked together for a year, we never would've collected 20 million. But if you sign a contract, they let you win a few special exams. That means you get class points. What choice would we have if we didn't sign up? And if the whole class ignored Nagumo's contract, we'd have to fight him every step of the way. What then? The remaining class points would've been stripped away and the monthly private points would've been at zero for a long, long time."
Seizing the opportunity, Nagumo took full advantage of his class's strength and advantage.
"She was given a stable school life and even a chance to graduate with class
A if she was accepted by Nagumo. Only an idiot like Kiryuuin could refuse this."
By being under Nagumo's control, you could maintain your class points to some extent.
Even if you were exploited by the 75% payment, you could always keep your allowance every month.
Once a contract was made, it'd be difficult to break it.
Even if one or two people revolted, they'd be found out by someone tipping off.
"Even if Nagumo spent a lot of money, no one could complain."
"Well... I'm not saying there's nothing to be dissatisfied about. But as you said, we can't complain. It's okay for those who have the ability, but for those like me who have no hope of reaching Class A without relying on someone, the last resort is to rely on the lottery."
Even if private points were squeezed endlessly until graduation, there was always the lottery to bet on.
Even if you only had one ticket, there was a 1 in 100 chance of winning.
That wasn't bad, was it?
"Was one of his instructions to frame Kiryuuin-senpai for shoplifting?"Tachibana kept his eyes down for a moment, then nodded quietly.
"I'm one of the intermediaries. If I can get Kiryuuin to confess to shoplifting, he said he'll give me the transfer ticket."
"I don't understand this 'intermediary' thing. The more people you put in between, the more the fact that you tried to make her shoplift will be leaked. Besides, if a large number of people challenge a single event together, each person's contribution will naturally be distributed."
It'd be less time-consuming and risky for Nagumo to approach a girl like Yamanaka from the beginning.
Where was the need to pass the baton from Nagumo to Tachibana and from Tachibana to Yamanaka?
This point was stuck in the back of my mind and wouldn't come loose.
And if you asked me whether all of Tachibana's statements were worth trusting, I'd say no. Basically, he seemed to be telling the truth, but he was speaking too frankly for that.
"You were told not to tell anyone by Nagumo-senpai, weren't you?"
"Of course. However, when we're in trouble, we can't be blamed if we have to use his name. I don't think Yamanaka and I are… responsible, if I may say so myself, or…"
When pressed, he simply confessed to the crime. The first time he appeared on the scene, he was all bullish, but he may have had a part of him that didn't want to be poked at or a part of him which had a weak side peeking out.
"Tachibana-senpai, you may not be the direct perpetrator, but if this becomes public, the school will judge you as well."
"Huh? There's no way Nagumo-san will make this public."
"Nagumo-senpai may be at fault, but Kiryuuin-senpai's angry. You can tell from watching her for the past three years that if she wanted to, she'd bite whoever she was dealing with, can't you?"
"That's… Anazai was quite frightened too…"
"You received instructions from Student Council President Nagumo and consulted with Yamanaka-senpai—a girl who could get close to Kiryuuin-senpai. He told you that if you succeeded, he'd give you recognition. That was the whole truth. Can you swear to me that you're completely sure?"
I set my cell phone to video mode and brought the camera close to Tachibana's eyes.
"That is why…"
"Can you swear to that?"
When I brought the phone close to him again as if to remind him, Tachibana strongly brushed it away.
He then forcibly stopped the recording.
"I'm telling you I'm sure."
"Then there's no need to panic. Why don't you want it recorded?"
"It's… that… Give me a break!"
"Hey, Tachibana-kun!"
Asahina tried to stop him, but he left without looking back.
"I think he wanted to say something. I wonder what it was…"
"It's okay. I was able to get a rough idea of what he was talking about from his reaction."
"Is that so? You mean you know who ordered Tachibana-kun and the others?"
Tachibana obediently obeyed the order and carried it out.
When he failed and Kiryuuin questioned him, he mentioned Nagumo's name.
Even at the risk of destabilizing his own position, he refused to admit anything other than the fact that he had done so.
"Thank you very much for today, Asahina-senpai."
"Ummm… I'm glad you figured it out Ayanokouji-kun… Can you tell me about it…?"
"Let's not do that now. I don't want to get you involved."
It seemed to be bothering her from start to finish, but it was best to keep it to myself for now.
6
Although it took some time, I was able to obtain important information that led me to the truth of the shoplifting case.
With Asahina's help, I didn't waste any time, but that was why I wanted to pause for a moment.
The fact was that I was on the verge of a solution on the very day I embarked on my investigation.
Of course, I could attribute this to my good fortune, including unintended coincidences.
That was why I wasn't satisfied.
It wasn't that the others—Asahina, Yamanaka, and Tachibana—were lying or anything like that.
What will happen if I report the results to Kiryuuin?
And what's the goal of the person who orchestrated this scenario?
Depending on the decision and outcome, there was a possibility that it would affect the third semester.
I decided to send a message to Kiryuuin about what I found, excluding the crux of the matter.
I then suggested what to do next. The question was whether Kiryuuin would be on board with that or not, but since she wanted a solution, she probably would be.
On the way back from the Keyaki Mall, I arrived at the dormitory.
As I expected, there was no call from Kei on my cell phone, and she didn't seem to be waiting for me in the lobby.
I wonder if Kei will be able to keep her distance from me and diminish her relationship with me.
No, that was something I didn't need to think about yet.
As long as she acted as a host's parasite, she wouldn't be able to escape on her own and take independent action.
The elevator arrived on the first floor, so I planned to get on and go to the fourth floor.
I should concentrate on Kiryuuin's case rather than Kei's. That was the plan, but then I came across a website, which I found in the middle of the night.
That's what I was thought…
"Welcome back, Ayanokouji-kun."
As I got off the elevator, I saw Ichinose wearing a coat and smiling at me, looking a little cold.
It seemed that she was waiting for me in front of my room.
"What's wrong?"
"Hm? Like, I just wanted to see you. Am I bothering you?"
"No, not at all. It's just that you've been waiting a long time, haven't you?"Normally I would've been home by 5:00 p.m., but it was already around 6:00 p.m. because I had to make a detour to see Asahina and the other third-year students.
Ichinose curiously pulled out her cell phone to check the time.
"What? When did it get so late? I didn't even notice."
I thought what she said might've been out of concern for me, but it didn't seem to be that way.
"How long have you been there?"
"Uh, a little after school. So that would be a little after… 4:30, I guess."So she was on her feet for at least an hour and a half.
She said that she had wanted to come talk to me but didn't because she didn't want to interrupt me.
"You should've let me know beforehand."
Even if I couldn't see her right away, I could've at least told her when I'd be leaving.
"No, I didn't want to disturb you."
I didn't think that was a matter of good or bad, but if she wasn't bothered by waiting for me, there was nothing more to say.
"Hey, there's nothing I particularly need to talk to you about, but..."She asked hesitantly.
"Have you made up with Karuizawa-san?"
"No, I haven't."
When I answered, Ichinose murmured, "I see."
Ichinose's expression was joyful, sad, or something else.
The expression on her face seemed to be any of these, but it was hard to see her true feelings.
"Then… can I be selfish for a moment? I'd like to have a little chat with you.
Only if you don't mind…"
I'm sure it wasn't just to say hi since she took the time to wait for me.
"I'm fine with it. If you don't mind, do you want to come into my room?"
"Are you sure?"
There was no reason to refuse. Since Kei hadn't contacted me, I had nowhere else to be for the rest of the day. This also wasn't a place I could make her stand outside and talk in.
I couldn't let her body get any colder than it already was, so I turned the key in the lock and opened the front door.
"I'm a little nervous. Sorry to bother you."
When Ichinose entered the room having said that, she must've immediately noticed the difference from before.
"The last time you came to my room was on a rainy day."
"Thank you for that time. I was soaking wet from the rain…"
I took off my shoes first, then Ichinose, and she came up to the room neatly.
When the lights were turned on and the entire room was brightly lit, Ichinose made a noise.
"Ah—It's a very cute room, isn't it?"
Ichinose's eyes were drawn to the changes in the bed and its surroundings as she replied.
There were no major changes, such as buying furniture or redecorating.
Just stuffed animals, hand mirrors, cushions, etc., which were a little out of place in a man's room.
There were many more small things here than before.
They were all brought in and left behind by Kei who came in and out of the room. If someone who didn't know the situation at this school were to see them, it might've been unsurprising for them to mistaken us for two people living together.
If you looked in the kitchen, you'd easily notice matching cups and chopsticks of different colors.
She knew that Kei and I were dating, and she must've assumed that the situation in the room had changed. In fact, you couldn't see any confusion on her face.
"Please sit down at your leisure. I'll pour you a hot drink. Cocoa?"
"Yes. Thank you."
Ichinose smiled happily as I offered her the same drink as that day.
The best way to warm up a cold body was from the inside.
However, it was getting quite cold in the room, so I turned on the heater and activated the humidifier.
"I think it'll warm up soon."
Nodding, Ichinose took off her coat and placed it at her feet.
"Girls are impressive, aren't they? They always go to and from school in skirts like that. It must be cold."
"It's definitely cold, but I'm so used to wearing skirts that I haven't really paid much attention to it."
After answering, she looked at a photo frame with a picture of Kei and me in my room, she went up to it and stared at it for a long time.
"Can I ask you how you fell in love with Karuizawa-san?"
"Are you interested?"
"Yes. I didn't have much contact with her, but I knew that she was dating Hirata-kun during our first year. I never thought that she'd be dating you."
Even many students in Horikita's class were still puzzled. If it were another class, it would be more difficult to figure out why.
"It's not that I don't want to answer, but it's hard to answer. I'd never been in love before, and even if I wanted to talk about it in detail, I couldn't. Maybe it was just a natural progression of learning about each other together in class."
I couldn't talk about specifics, so I just used common words and ran with it.
"Karuizawa-san is cute, isn't she?"
"I don't deny it."
The water in the pot had boiled, so I poured in the hot water and mixed the powder with a spoon to make cocoa.
"Here."
"It's warm."
She wrapped the cup with her hands, which had been cold, and exhaled.
"The other day, I dragged you around to the gym and stuff because of my selfishness. Did you mind?"
"I originally proposed the idea by asking for your day off. And..."I opened my desk drawer and took out a piece of paper.
"The experience was so good that I'm thinking of pulling this out on my next day off."
"Oh, a gym membership…"
I already filled out the form with my name, student ID number, and monthly course selection.
"I'm always leading a life of self-indulgence. I thought I'd get some exercise."
"I see. I'm glad to hear that."
Until the school trip, Ichinose often showed a downcast face.
However, since the last time we spent the break together, she had been smiling a lot more.
"We'll probably see each other more often at the gym from now on, so I'm counting on you."
"Yes! I'll count on you too... Oh, right. We'll be able to meet at the gym too, huh?"
Ichinose drank cocoa and squinted her eyes happily.
"Actually, you know, I…?""Hmm?"
Ichinose looked into my eyes as if she had been thinking about something.
"I wasn't just waiting for you in front of the room because I wanted to see you. I had something I really needed to tell you… Can you sit next to me?"She lightly patted the empty bed space with her hand.
I knew she was serious, so I sat down next to Ichinose to fulfill her wish.
"The reason I met with you this past Sunday was to put an end to it."
"An end?"
"To end my feelings for you."
Determined, Ichinose made no pretense of looking away.
"You've got someone you love, Karuizawa-san, so I thought that day would be our first and last date."
There was no trace of sadness on Ichinose's face as she said this.
Was that what Ichinose was thinking on the day we shared our time at the gym?
"That's the end of it."
Ichinose nodded emphatically.
"We won't see each other in private anymore. I thought it was the right thing to do."
"If that's the case, it would contradict our time today here."
Even if it wasn't a holiday, it was undeniably a private time.
"But I was wrong. That way of thinking wasn't right. I realized that nothing would change if I kept doing that."
I still don't know what conclusion she came to.
But I guess that change in thinking is the reason for the bright Ichinose we have now.
"I don't know what I should do. What should I do from now on…?"
The smile seemed to be the same as usual, but it also seemed to be different.
So far, I interpreted Ichinose as a relatively easy-to-understand person whose smile was easily visible on her face.
Of course, she sometimes showed her poker face well in exams, but at least in her private life, I had thought so.
However, nowadays, Ichinose often showed a face that couldn't be read.
"That day, I had made up my mind that I'd never ask you about your girlfriend, Karuizawa-san, in front of you."
"Why's that?"
"Because it would hurt my heart and make my chest feel tight. I thought that if I asked, I would be in pain."
Ichinose muttered, choosing her words carefully as if exposing herself to me.
"But after the gym, I couldn't resist asking you which one of you fell in love first?"
That's right, she did ask me that. I knew how Ichinose was feeling at that time.
"Was it hard?"
"Strangely enough, it wasn't. It was at that moment that I realized I was wrong."
"What did you figure out? What was the right thing for you?"
"You want to know? I'll tell you."
Ichinose took a slow breath and looked into my eyes as I sat next to her."I still love you."
Ichinose didn't run away. She didn't want to catch me to then let me go. She looked at me with such eyes.
"At that moment, I realized how much I love you."
It was the first and last date that she accepted with the idea of stepping aside.
However, Ichinose came to the opposite conclusion.
"At the same time, I thought that I couldn't remain in the dark. I had to change from the ground up."
That was the moment that changed Ichinose from being in the dark.
"Hey... Can I touch your face?"
"'You won't get any prizes for touching me."
When I jokingly said that, Ichinose laughed softly and nodded her head.
Then she reached out her right hand and touched my cheek.
With a slight effort, she turned my face towards her.
"I've never done this to anyone. I've never felt this way about anyone. I've been nervous all the time, and somewhere inside, I'm in pain… but I'm so happy
right now. Just having the person I love beside me fills my heart."I wanted to ask Ichinose, who told me so honestly.
"I asked you on the school trip, didn't I? I asked you if there was something you wanted."
"Yeah. What I wanted... was to get to Class A. A goal that I could reach with my friends. I lost sight of that, and I almost broke down and said I couldn't do it anymore. No, I was broken. I even thought that I had no choice but to leave this school."
"Not anymore, huh?"
"Not anymore. I want to stay. I want to aim for Class A. I want to achieve
it."
A hand on my cheek.
"And I want one more thing. The one I love… Ayanokouji-kun."
"I think you know, but I..."
"Yeah. You've got Karuizawa-san. I know that, so I won't ask for anything more than that now, but…"
"But?"
"Things will be different from now on. I'm going to become the kind of person you will look at."
Even though her cheeks were blushing, her unwavering gaze remained fixed on me. She didn't take that final step that would go against her morals despite being in love with someone who already had a partner. If she had crossed that line, I would've had to stop her, but she was able to restrain herself.
This was the core of Ichinose Honami.
"Ayanokouji-kun, watch me from now on."
"I was going to watch over you even if you didn't want me to."
"It's… at the end of the school year."
"Yeah. Then when we'll meet again, I'll tell you one thing." "My resolve was broken once, but it's absolutely fine now." I don't need to question you about that.
As I sat next to her, I could feel the passion and strength that Ichinose exuded.
I didn't know how the outcome would turn out, but Ichinose had definitely undergone a great change mentally.
It was based on an intense dependence that was different from that of Karuizawa Kei.
This dependence, which may have been a double-edged sword, had undeniably given Ichinose great strength.
By nature, we wanted the person we loved to respond to us.
Even if it was the first time, we'd want them to say, 'I love you' to us.
We'd want to touch them and know what happens next.
But Ichinose didn't beg.
It was clear that she was determined to win this statement for herself.
Slowly, her hand left me.
"I'm going home."
"I'll see you out."
"You have to make up with Karuizawa-san as soon as possible."
"I'll take care of it."
Ichinose, with her coat in her hands, put on her shoes and opened the front door with light steps.
Then she waved her hand softly and the door closed.
Silence and a slight scent of cocoa and citrus lingered.
I wondered what kind of world Ichinose would create.
How it would affect the people around her, and how it would change my own thoughts.
I look forward to school life even more.