With just one day left until the hearing between Sudo and Class C, Horikita's cooperation has helped us find a witness in Sakura, and our class has somewhat come together, centered around Tsugumi, Hirata, and Kushida.
However, it's clear that these efforts lack a decisive blow, and it's still difficult to prove Sudo's innocence. The strategy will change drastically depending on where we draw the line for this hearing.
"It's so hot again today..."
The moment you step out of an air-conditioned building is when you really start thinking about global warming.
The thought of enduring this daily torture throughout August makes me feel down. As I endure the burning pain on my skin for the few minutes it takes to walk to school, I feel a light tap on my shoulder and hear a voice from behind.
"Why the gloomy face, Ayanokoji-kun?"
"Tsugumi... This is a rare sight."
Standing behind me with a hand on my shoulder and a smile on his face is my best friend, Saito Tsugumi, who recently revealed a shocking fact about himself.
"I stayed up a little late. Arisu-chan's breakfast is on hold."
Tsugumi chuckles wryly as he scratches his cheek. Unlike me, who leaves for school at the last minute for homeroom, Tsugumi always leaves with plenty of time, so this is the first time we've walked side by side.
"How did yesterday go? Did you manage to pull it off?"
"Yeah, thanks to you. Kushida's help was huge."
"That's good to hear."
Tsugumi nods, genuinely relieved.
...I have mixed feelings about being so worried about. It's a combination of happiness and sadness.
We walk for a few minutes and enter the school building. The first thing I notice that's different is the bulletin board on the landing of the stairs, a little past the shoe lockers.
There's a poster on it seeking students with information related to Sudo and Class C.
"What is this..."
"Wow. This is really helpful."
Tsugumi's eyes are wide with surprise.
It seems a helper has stepped up to the plate. Since we hadn't considered this kind of strategy, it's very much appreciated, just as Tsugumi said.
"This means we absolutely have to win, Ayanokoji-kun."
"...Yeah, you're right."
I agree with Tsugumi's heartfelt words. The fact that someone is doing something for us must be a heartwarming feeling.
As I look over the poster, impressed...
"Morning, Ayanokoji-kun, Saito-kun."
Ichinose, who just arrived, greets us from behind.
"Good morning, Ichinose-san."
"I was just looking at the poster. Did you put this up, Ichinose?"
Ichinose looks at the poster with interest.
"Oh, I see. This is a good strategy."
"Huh? It wasn't you, Ichinose?"
"This is probably... oh, there he is. Good morning, Kanzaki-kun."
Ichinose raises her hand and calls out to a male student. He notices her and walks over with a quiet gait.
"You put this poster up, didn't you, Kanzaki-kun?"
"Yeah. I prepared it and posted it on Friday. Is something wrong?"
"No, he just wanted to know who did it. Oh, let me introduce you. This is Kanzaki-kun from Class B. And this is Ayanokoji-kun from Class D. You don't need an introduction to Saito-kun, right?"
"Long time no see, Kanzaki-kun. This guy doesn't have many friends, so please be nice to him."
That was unnecessary.
"Yeah. I'm Kanzaki, nice to meet you."
I take the hand he offers.
"So, Kanzaki-kun, did you get any useful information?"
"Unfortunately, nothing that can be used."
"I see. Well, I'll check the bulletin board."
Ichinose takes out her phone. Since we had just talked about this yesterday, it was easy to understand what she meant.
She goes to the school's homepage and checks the bulletin board, where there's a post seeking witnesses. You can even see the number of views.
"Since you're offering points for information, I feel bad. I'll pay you."
Tsugumi's eyebrows furrow apologetically. I feel the same way. It's not a comfortable situation to have someone call for information and pay with their points on top of that.
"No, don't worry about the points. We're doing this on our own. Besides, it seems difficult to get any new information... Oh."
"What's wrong?"
"I got two emails. They say they have some information."
Ichinose checks her phone screen.
After reading the emails for a while, she lets out a small laugh.
"It's like this."
She tilts her phone so we can see the text.
"It says that one of the guys from Class C, Ishizaki-kun, was a big-time delinquent in middle school. He was apparently good at fighting and was feared in his hometown. It's probably a leak from someone from the same area."
"Wow, that's incredible information."
"That's certainly interesting."
I found the information just as interesting and intriguing as they did. I had assumed that the trio who got beaten up by Sudo were just regular students.
But if one of them is experienced in fighting, that changes things. The other two are in the basketball club, so their athletic ability can't be bad. For those three to get taken down without even landing a single punch, it's clearly unnatural.
"Still, it's probably not enough to prove his innocence. What should we do, Ayanokoji-kun?"
Tsugumi groans next to me, but I can't come up with a response that meets his expectations.
"Let's talk about it when we all get together today. Unfortunately, I don't have a concrete solution."
I do have some ideas, but it's not the right time to say them, so I keep my mouth shut.
"For now, we should transfer the points to the person who gave us the information. Oh, but they want to remain anonymous... How do we transfer the points?"
"Oh, I'll teach you. There's an ID number on the top left corner, so..."
I was about to tell her, but Tsugumi took over.
"I did it! Thanks, Tsugumi-kun!"
"The thanks are all mine. When this whole thing calms down, I'd like to do something to thank you."
"Yeah, I'll be looking forward to it."
As the three of us talked peacefully, a certain part of Ichinose's phone screen that I saw for a brief moment was burned into my mind.
How on earth is that even possible in reality? Horikita's goal of reaching Class A... Ichinose and her classmates might be a huge obstacle.
---------
"Good morning, Ayanokoji-kun!"
"O-oh. Good morning."
Kushida, who's even brighter and more cheerful than usual, greets me. Her energy and radiance make me instinctively recoil.
"Good morning, Saito-kun!"
"Morning, Kushida-san. So? Did Ayanokoji-kun do well?"
We just met, and that's the first thing you ask? How worried are you about me...?
"Yes! He was a huge help yesterday! The clothes Saito-kun chose for him looked great too!"
"See? He's a natural, Ayanokoji-kun."
Whew... I'm relieved. I don't know if she means it, but it seems I didn't leave a bad impression on her.
"Let's hang out again sometime."
"O-oh, yeah."
Even a simple social courtesy like that makes me feel a little fluttery. Between yesterday's clothes shopping and the day before, I had a fulfilling weekend.
"Did you spend the weekend with Kushida-san?"
"Yeah. And the day before that, Tsugumi and I went clothes shopping! Just the two of us."
I answer Horikita with an unusually high-spirited tone. Yeah, I won't deny that I wanted to brag a little. This is my revenge for all the times she's called me antisocial. Horikita, who's attracted to Tsugumi, will surely be crushed by the fact that he and I went out together alone.
"I see."
Hehe... Sorry, Horikita. You've gone from being the predator to the prey. This is actually pretty fun, so I'll keep feigning ignorance and tease her. I might get a good reaction.
...I used to think Tsugumi was a jerk for teasing girls and enjoying their reactions, but this is actually quite addicting.
"What's wrong...?"
"..."
I glanced at Horikita, half-expecting a fist to come flying at me, but her expression was one I had never seen before.
"Hey, hey."
Tsugumi, who had been quietly watching the whole time, taps my shoulder. He turns his back to Horikita, leans in close, and whispers.
"You're going too far. Leave the rest to me."
"Huh?... Okay."
He doesn't seem angry, but what did I do that was "too far"?
Tsugumi turns around, sits in the seat in front of Horikita, props his elbows on the desk, and whispers to her. The way he soothes her, like a small child, is strangely fitting and amusing.
"Horikita-san?"
I wanted to listen to what he was saying for my own education, but Kushida taps my shoulder, so I can't.
"Come here for a second."
She takes me out into the hallway and glances into the classroom as she speaks.
"I feel like I just saw something really fresh. I didn't know Horikita-san could make a face like that."
Kushida seems to understand the meaning of Horikita's expression, showing surprise and joy.
"Fresh? It looked... creepy... or like she was slightly angry."
"No way. That was her feeling lonely and left out because you didn't invite her. I think it's because you didn't invite her to go clothes shopping with you two."
Why would Horikita, of all people, want to come with me to look at clothes? If she wanted to go out with Tsugumi, she could have just invited him on a different day.
As if sensing my question, Kushida smiles and speaks with delight.
"She probably wanted to go out with the three of you."
"...Is that even possible? This is Horikita we're talking about."
"Yes! Because when Horikita-san talks with you and Saito-kun, she looks like she's having so much fun to everyone else."
Kushida goes back into the classroom without another word. I follow her in and see Horikita sulking and looking out the window. I feel like her face is a little red.
"Oh, you're back!"
Tsugumi is sitting in front of her with a huge smile on his face. ...I see. He probably teased Horikita to no end.
I sit back down at my desk, thinking that. Normally, a sarcastic remark would be coming my way, but Horikita has been knocked out.
"Save the next weekend for me, Ayanokoji-kun."
"Huh? Are we going somewhere again? You don't have to worry, I'm always free."
...I got a little sad saying that. But I can't help it; Tsugumi is the only one who invites me out.
Tsugumi smiles widely and gives me a thumbs-up. He's so high-spirited on a Monday morning...
"Good. Then next time, the three of us should go somewhere, me, you, and Horikita-san. She wanted to go, you know?"
"...I never said that."
It seems Kushida was right. The moment I realized that, I understood how grave my actions had been.
...I'm sorry, Horikita. When this whole Sudo thing is over, let's hang out a lot.
"Stop that smug look on your face right now. I'll hit you."
"Whoa, that's rare. Ayanokoji-kun is smiling."
I flinch and touch my mouth.
There, I feel it. My lips are slightly curled upward.
"...I smile sometimes, too."
It seems I'm so drawn to these people that I've started smiling naturally in just two months.
That fact was unbearably ticklish... and pleasant.
============
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