CH 33

Now that the lunch break and all the remaining classes were over.

As each of us was spending our own after-school time, I was getting ready to leave and head towards the shoe box.

“Haru, see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

This is where I said goodbye to Masaya, who had basketball club practice.

Basically, his after-school hours got taken up by club activities.

He went to the game centre with me because he was regularly absent from the club.

When you say he’s absent, you tend to get the negative impression that he was slacking off, but that wasn’t the case for Masaya.

Masaya takes two days a week off from club activities to join the city basketball team’s practice sessions, which are held after 8 pm, to work out.

It seems that this is moderately hard work, and he can hardly stand it when it overlaps with school practice.

Of course, this approach is only allowed because of his contribution as the ace of the school’s basketball team.

I left Masaya and walked alone to the shoe lockers.

There are those who work hard in club activities, those who stay in the classroom to continue studying, and those who just stay and have a chat.

I noticed that I was looking at them with calm emotion.

(Oh, yeah.)

Until now, I hadn’t even been able to recognize them, but once I did, I envied them.

I didn’t want to develop negative feelings for someone I had never spoken to in that way.

The fact that I can afford to come to school like this is all thanks to Tojo-san.

In order to repay her, I want to fulfil what she asks for as much as possible, although I may have to… withhold anything that is too extreme.

Tojo-san stayed at the school building since she had some errands to do.

Since I got asked to go ahead and wait in front of the school gate, I intend to do as I got told for the time being.

“… hmm?”

Walking down the corridor around the shoe boxes, I suddenly see a passageway towards the back with toilets.

The toilets at the back of the ground floor are unpopular.

There are no other classrooms or club rooms around used, except for a Japanese-style room for calligraphy and tea ceremony, which was only for elective classes.

But now, peoples’ voices could be heard coming from that passageway.

It was mainly a male voice, but something was strange about their behaviour.

Their tones were full of anger.

There seems to be no doubt that some trouble was brewing.

I walk towards that aisle after a long pondering.

If there was no trouble or anything, I could just leave without sticking my neck out.

But there might be someone in trouble.

Once I thought about that, I couldn’t leave the place without checking.

“What’s happening…! Hey!”

Gently peering down the aisle, I saw a famous face.

It’s Adachi, the ace of the football club, our classmate.

We’re in different classes, and he enjoys his youth surrounded by many friends. I live in a different world.

Therefore, I know very little about him.

The only thing I know about him is that he is so popular that many girls gather to cheer him on when the football club has any matches.

Incidentally, Masaya was as popular as Adachi in the start, but he quickly lost popularity with the girls when word spread that he had a long-distance girlfriend.

And I hear that some of the boys also developed a grudge against him.

Now, it’s a completely irrelevant story.

“You… I heard you started going out with a boy in your class. Inamori, was it?”

… hm?

Suddenly my name was mentioned, and I was bewildered. At the risk of being discovered, I peeked further into the corridor.

There she was, Tojo-san, with an easy-to-understand affable smile.

At any rate, I understood that her errand was to meet Adachi, but what on earth is the relationship between them?

If Tojo-san was involved, I instantly became curious.

“Yes, I started a relationship with Haruyuki Inamori-kun, so what?”

“That’s strange, isn’t it?”

“Strange?”

“I went to the classroom just now and saw this Inamori guy. Rather than going out with that bland guy, no matter what you think, I’d be better, right?”

I’ve suddenly been humiliated by someone I’ve never spoken to at all.

It’s not shocking, but it feels exquisitely unreasonable.

It is true that Adachi is tall and has a well-defined face, and there is no doubt that there is a big difference between him and me, who have never paid attention to my appearance.

“I want to ask why you rejected my confession the other day.”

“…”

Listening from the side, I arbitrarily accepted it.

Adachi was unconvinced that Tojo-san, who rejected his confession, started going out with me, who was supposed to be inferior to him.

From his standpoint of not knowing about our relationship, it’s not hard to understand why he couldn’t convince her.

“Are you playing with him? If that’s the case, I’ll help you, too, so you should still go out with me. See?”

Adachi is said to be adored by many people, but why is that?

No matter how you look at it, he seems like a jerk.

Perhaps he hides his true nature in public, or is what is called a backstabbing person?

“… Fufu.”

“… Ah?”

While I was having my selfish doubts about Adachi, Tojo-san’s eruptive laughter echoed in the corridor.

It was an unintended laugh as if she just couldn’t hold it in.

Both Adachi and I had bewilderment clinging to our faces.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s funny you said I was playing with him.”

She laughed for a moment, then exhaled deeply to catch her breath.

“Rather, I am always desperate. I have a fear somewhere inside me every single day that he won’t leave me, that he won’t fall out of love with me.”

“… fear?”

“Even if I really want to flirt more, if I suddenly press him, I’ll only confuse his faithfulness, and even if I really want to show off around him more, I might threaten his peaceful school life. It’s not egotism or anything. I understand better than anyone what would happen if I, as a person, got involved.”

I was glad that Tojo-san was thinking about me so much, but at the same time, I had an unfathomable fear that she was still holding back because of that.

It’s definitely not the first time I’ve disliked her for that, but there’s more of a line of thinking that my heart couldn’t take.

“I can’t go out with you… because I honestly don’t like you. I don’t like your pretentious haircut, the strange sweet hairdressing scent, or the way you look down on everyone around you because you’re slightly better than them. I don’t like it all. How about living a little more humbly? Confidence is a good thing, but yours is a bit excessive. It is also necessary for you to know your place in society. Please consider it.”

“Ah… aah.”

“I am glad you understand. Then it’s time to go home… Haruyuki-kun, shall we?”

My name got suddenly called out again, and a strange voice escaped my mouth.

Adachi looked at me in surprise.

Tojo-san, on the other hand, turned her eyes toward me, looking at me with a smiling face.

“So, uh… sorry. I didn’t mean to peek at you.”

“You were worried about me, weren’t you? Haruyuki-kun is a really kind person. Look, I’m done talking to him now, so let’s go home together, shall we?”

“Aah… then.”

I bowed lightly to Adachi, who looked stunned and waited for Tojo-san, who was approaching me at a fast pace.

Then she stopped once in the middle of the corridor and turned back towards him.

“Oh, it’s all very well to spread the bad news about me out of spite, but don’t forget that my caste is high. I’m confident that everyone will believe me more than you.”

Now then—-.

After saying that, Tojo-san pulled my hand and left Adachi.

Honestly, it was insanely cool.