Episode 97 – Tear Apart

The next day, I went to school as if nothing had happened. It was a normal morning, nothing in particular had changed. I saw Yukihana listening to music with an earphone plugged into her smartphone. Apparently, the infiltration that I did the other day has not been discovered.

“……”

Yukihana is reading a book while listening to music, but it’s visibly obvious that she’s not concentrating on either of them. Perhaps the letter I left on Yukihana’s desk has done the trick. I was prepared for the possibility that she might throw it away, but it seems to have worked. Now it remains to be seen if this guy will take the first step.

(It’s no exaggeration to say that her actions will determine my future.)

If this one thing works out the way I plan, I’ll be able to resolve one of my issues. And it’s no exaggeration to say that it depends on Yukihana’s actions. For now, all I have to do is wait for her mind to be chipped away over time.

(For the time being, this is it……)

We’ll see how it goes. That’s what I thought, but…..I realized soon after this that I was a little naive.

The morning homeroom came as usual. The same as always, the homeroom teacher, Ichinose sensei, tells us about the matters that need to be reported. Normally, she would just check on the students’ health and make sure there are no other matters to be discussed, but the teacher’s face is slightly gloomy. Somehow, it appears to be a sad expression.

After the usual exchange, the teacher opens her mouth heavily.

“Well, we teachers don’t have everything figured out yet, but there’s something I need to let you all know about. Just the other day, a first-year female student got into trouble and was suspended from school.”

“Eh……”

I wonder who that mutter was from. The school is a progressive school with many diligent students, and there are very few students who cause problematic behavior. The chairman’s intervention has made that a little doubtful, but that is basically the impression I got.

Then Ichinose sensei continued.

“The reason for the suspension is, um, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this. But I’m going to tell you anyway because I’m supposed to tell the students as a reminder. The reason for the suspension is that she forced a second-year male student to commit something obscene.”

As Ichinose sensei feared, this was not a story she wanted to tell, at least not in the morning. Some of the female students frowned. Yukihana next to me looked as if she was disgusted……

…………No way.

“I’ll say it again, we teachers don’t have all the facts either. I just want to remind everyone again to lead a high school life and not to make a fuss about this matter. In the meantime, I’ve heard that anyone who starts any false rumors will be required by school rules to write a letter of remorse or be suspended from school as well.”

Aside from the first half, the second half seems a bit forced. At the very least, it seems unlikely that an adolescent high school student would be able to suppress this rumor. It was as if she was asking them to spread the word both inside and outside of the school. Ichinose sensei is frowning, but perhaps she can’t resist an order from the top.

(What I’m curious about is who those two students are.)

The first-year female student who is alleged to have been pressured into the second-year to do something obscene, and the victimized second-year male student. I have no idea who the female student is, but I have an idea of who the male student is…..

(No way, I never thought it would start like this.)

The victimized male student is definitely Shishiyama Shinya. The situation at the school these days. And Yukihana, who’s now sitting next to me with an uncomfortable expression on her face. Although it is not confirmed, I believe that the possibility is very high. No, should I call it a gut feeling here?

(Now there’s no time to linger.)

There’s no way of knowing who, if anyone, is affected, but now that the possibility that Shinyais the perpetrator has come up, I have no choice but to take a little more aggressive measures as well. To that end, all I have to do is…..

And so, as soon as the shocking homeroom is over, I glance at Yukihana, who glances off to the side. This is the one who will be the key to this series of disturbances. Unless she makes a move, the situation will never be resolved.

That’s why I made up my mind.

(Sorry, Yukihana. I’m going to be your enemy.)

And I was sure of one thing. Shinya probably already noticed my presence…….

Meanwhile, in the next class. One female student was rushing toward a male student who was sitting with his legs crossed lazily.

“Um, Shinya kun, I’d like to ask you a few questions?”

“What’s wrong, Sakura chan? You’re making a scary face.”

“You seem to be having a lot of fun.”

Shinkai appears to be calm to those around her, but in her heart she holds back an unimaginable anger. She would never normally do this, but she was so angry that she could grab Shinya by the collar at any moment. That’s how much was happening around her.

Just in time to move the classroom, the crowd was thinning, and after confirming that no one was listening, Shinkai broke the ice.

“You seem fine. For a victim of a mysterious incident.”

“Hm, you know her, Sakura chan? Oh, yeah. Come to think of it, you were the student council president.”

“……Honestly, were you forced to act unilaterally?”

“That’s right. I was scared. The eyes were glowing, and if it had been one more step too late to call for help, I don’t know what would have happened.～”

“……”

It’s a lie.

Shinkai sees that immediately, but she cannot point that out here and now. This is because she does not have any data or evidence on this matter. After all was said and done, the teacher reported to her as the student council president. There was nothing more she could do about it.

“I swear to you, she is not the kind of person who would do such a thing. Nor is she the kind of girl who would be actively involved with you, especially when you’ve only been at the new school for a few days. I have a suspicion that she got herself into some unexpected trouble?”

“Yeah, come to think of it, she’s a member of the student council, isn’t she?”

Yes, the suspended student who is now the talk of the school is the person who serves as the secretary of the student council, a student named Hashimoto Mishiko. She was a student whom Shinkai had taken care of, trusted by the teachers, and was looking forward to her future activities even though she was new to the school. Then this happened.

(And to do something that would spread such a bad rumor throughout the school !)

When her homeroom teacher told her about the incident in the morning, Shinkai sensed someone’s extraordinary malice. And the person in the middle of that malice is none other than the victim in this case…….

(But I can’t ask carelessly)

Even though she is the student council president, she is only a student. Unlike in anime and manga, the student council president does not have the power or absolute authority. She is merely a representative of the students.

“……Why were you with Hashimoto san in the first place?”

“Well, I don’t remember much.”

“You are not a child, are you? Why don’t you at least describe your past behavior?”

“Well, I’m the type who forgets a lot. More than that, your tone of voice is getting a little rough. Look, smile, smile.”

Not good. No matter how many words I repeated to him, he would just let it slide. Shinkai realizes that there is no point in saying anything at this point. But even if she backed down, she wouldn’t get anything out of it. That’s why she tried to stall the conversation and find out what Shinya’s true intentions were…….

“Well, the chime will ring soon. Then I’ll go ahead.”

“……I see.”

The time was certainly just around the corner when she noticed it. Shinkai would not be able to make it to class if she did not start moving right away. She quickly leaves the classroom with her textbooks and writing utensils. By the time she stepped out into the hallway, Shinya was already gone.

“……”

If only she could at least approach him from some other direction. And if she could get some hint to break out of this situation. Such a clinging thought dominated her mind.

“……”

Shinkai bit her lip to hide the frustration in her heart.