CH 15

From the time I arrived at school until I entered the classroom, multiple stares of some sort were thrust at me.

“…what is it?”

The students around me were not yet acquaintances.

As soon as they saw me, they started whispering to each other.

“……?”

I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like it. I feel like I’m being bad-mouthed in most of these things.

I don’t remember doing anything particularly bad, though …….

When I entered the classroom, my classmates’ stares were similar.

When I took my seat, Asagiri was already at school next to me.

As soon as I sat down, Asagiri took one look at me with a slightly cold expression.

I’m curious …….

….What in the world is going on?

I was curious, so I decided to ask Asagiri.

“Hey, Asagiri. Did I do something?”

“If you’re asking if you did something, you did, didn’t you?”

The answer was very vague.

What is this? Is this a quiz or something? Are they giving me a surprise for being a new student in my grade? No, I don’t think so.

“I’m worried about the stares I’m getting from people around me.”

“………….”

“Please.”

“Haa. ……, it looks like you had a lot of fun yesterday.”

“…… what are you talking about?”

It’s as if I can’t think of anything.

Did I have any fun yesterday? I look back at my behavior.

I was forced to take care of the infirmary, and afterwards I just went home as usual and slept after Ayako-san rubbed me down.

There was nothing fun about it.

“You’re a lot quicker than I thought you’d be. Right after you transferred to the new school.”

“??”

I don’t understand more and more.

Then Sosuke, who had just arrived at the school, interrupted me.

“Oh, So…”

“You traitor.!!!!”

“Gueh!?”

I sounded like a crushed frog. Sosuke had appeared out of nowhere and suddenly slammed himself into me.

“That’s so fucking painful! What the hell?”

“Not that. You traitor!”

“So what are you talking about?”

“……, you know what I’m talking about. I know!!! I know you have a girlfriend.”

“haa….?”

I asked again, not understanding what Sosuke was talking about as he muttered sadly.

“What did you say?”

“I said! There’s a story going around that you rushed in yesterday when one of the girls on the girls’ basketball team got hurt and carried her off to the infirmary in a princess’s arms! There’s testimony out there that the flirting was definitely that of a lover! There’s no excuse for this now!!!!”

“…………”

And that I’m Takimoto-san’s boyfriend ……?

Rumors really circulate fast in the countryside. …… I’ve learned from what Sosuke said to me before.

I mean, I’ve got too many followers. Why is it that I’m supposed to have carried a princess in my arms?

The people in the gym must have seen the series of exchanges with Takimoto-san, right? What’s going on?

“That’s what’s going on. I guess she’s a very important girlfriend of yours, neglecting your work as a member of the health committee.”

“N-No, that’s not true. Besides, I did my job”

“Did you check the sanitary napkins?”

“…………Ah”

I had forgotten about it.

I saw a future like that so soon after my absence that it had completely slipped my mind.

“You’re in a good mood.”

Something tells me that Asagiri is in a bad mood. Was it because I had skipped out on the work she had asked me to do?

“Why is she in such a bad mood?”

“Because Asagiri is jealous”

“Shut up.”

“Ugh”

Sosuke, who was in a good mood, was punished mercilessly by Asagiri.

“Of course I’d be pissed off if I heard that you didn’t do the work I asked you to do, that you skipped work to make out with a girl and hugged her like a princess.”

“No, it’s just that you’re making too much of it.”

“Mother is sad. You held her without telling your mother. You didn’t even introduce her to me! I don’t remember raising a kid like that!”

I silenced Sosuke, who had made a sideways comment, and explained that there was nothing going on between me and Takimoto-san.

“Hmmm? Well, I don’t care who you go out with,…… but you should go to the health committee meeting at lunchtime today.”

“…… meeting?”

“Of course. You skipped it again the day before yesterday.”

“……”

“Fufuhn.”

When she said that, I couldn’t even gulp.

Asagiri made a face as if she was proud of her victory. Since the first day at the new school, Asagiri and I have often argued with each other, but for some reason, she seems to get better at it every time she beats me to it.

And apparently, she had been trying to get me to go from the beginning.

“I mean, why are there so many activities for the health committee? Isn’t it once a month?”

“That’s in preparation for next week’s event. The other reason is that the chairperson is so enthusiastic about it.”

…I knew it was going to be a tough committee

When Asagiri finished, she went to Kurase’s seat, who had just arrived at school.

“Hey, Sosuke. What’s next week’s event?”

“Ah, I see. Is it that time of the year already?”

“What’s the matter? Don’t waste your time, tell me already.”

“Fuhm. Don’t be surprised to hear that. It’s a waste of time at this school.”

“What’s it called?”

“Mountain climbing.”

…… mountain climbing?

◆

Before the Golden Week in April.

At this time in the second year, a school event is held to deepen friendship among the new classmates.

That is mountain climbing.

……It’s more than a hassle.

I hate it too much.

Why mountain climbing? If it was to deepen friendship, there are other ways to do it.

According to Sosuke, there is a long-standing and incomprehensible custom at this school of talking and climbing mountains with friends who eat from the same pot.

It seems to have the noble purpose of deepening the spirit and bond of those who share hardships and joys in order to face the great challenge of the upcoming entrance examinations.

I want to say, “Screw you.”

Relying on bonds is a weak person’s way of thinking… Just as I was beginning to feel like I was thinking like some evil mastermind, I reset my head and listened to what the teacher had to say.

“That’s why we, as health commissioners, have to act with extreme caution.”

I am currently in the process of being elevated in my role as a health committee member for the upcoming event.

As a mountaineering event, there will be a small number of injuries and illnesses every year.

This means that the health committee members also have to do first-aid work.

It’s a real headache. What a hassle I’ve been put into.

By the way, the people explaining this are our homeroom teacher, Kirihara-sensei, and Nakamura-sensei, the school nurse who was in the infirmary yesterday.

Apparently, she was in charge of first aid for this event.

However, if you listen to what they say, the mountain climbing is a part of this event.

The content of the event was a two-day and one-night overnight training program, in other words, a forestry school.

There are some fun activities such as outdoor cooking, setting up tents, and other standard events such as a spirit test, but it is the mountain climbing part that is unpopular among the students.

The mountain path they are supposed to climb seems to be tough enough, and when the students are exhausted from all the walking, they are forced to cook outdoors and set up tents by themselves.

Please give us a break. It is strange that the name of the event is stubbornly “mountain climbing”

“Well, then, the health committee members who are now assembled, please give the other health committee member a printout to explain to them as well.”

After a few minutes of my lunch break was ruined, I was finally released and was about to leave the empty classroom.

“Huh? Arase-kun!”

As soon as I left the empty classroom, someone called out to me.

I turned around and saw Takimoto-san on the floor with crutches.

Seeing her, I had a bad premonition.

“…… You don’t mean to tell me you were badly injured?”

I said what I thought when I saw her.

“Eh, oh, this? No, no, no! It was just a minor injury. I just borrowed it just in case!”

“What …… thank goodness. The one on your right leg?”

The hand holding the crutches was on the left. That meant that the injury was to his right leg.

“Yes, that’s right. My calf is a little tight. If left unchecked and overworked, it can sometimes lead to serious injury. It doesn’t seem to happen very often in high school. On the other hand, I was surprised to hear that the sprain on my left leg was nothing serious at all.”

I was relieved to hear a detailed description of the injury. There is no doubt that she was hurt, but apparently it was a blessing in disguise. If I had not advised her yesterday, it might have led to that serious injury.

When I think about it, it means that what I did was not in vain.

“I really appreciate your help, Arase-kun. Thank you.”

I scratched the back of my head, embarrassed by the genuine gratitude directed at me.

I never thought it was for anyone else. I genuinely didn’t want to make myself feel bad. This is the truth.

“Well, then, I’ll just accept your words of gratitude for now.”

“No, no, no! Words are not enough! Let me thank you properly!”

“You’re overreacting.”

“I’ll thank you when I have to! And even after the pain, you carried me to the infirmary!……Ah”

After saying this, Takimoto-san’s face turned red.

I wonder if she remembered what happened yesterday. I was starting to feel a little embarrassed too.

An awkward atmosphere was created.

“Oh, isn’t that it? The transfer student and the girl on the basketball team? The rumors were true!”

“Shush. I don’t want to intrude.”

And while we were doing that, some passing students saw us and said something like that and walked past us.

“…………”

“…………”

It was extra awkward.

…… Hey. What are you doing about it!!!!

What does Takimoto-san think about the rumor?

“Ah, Ahaha….S-sorry. It seems that some strange rumors have been created because of Suika.”

“No, I’m sorry too.”

“A-Anyway, I’ll tell everyone it’s a misunderstanding!”

“Oh, please.”

Then, in an awkward atmosphere, I parted from Takimoto-san.

And when I returned to the classroom.

“Ito-kun! Is it true that you’re dating a girl on the women’s basketball team? A girl in my class saw you hugging in public just now!”

“Hey, Arase! Don’t play dumb with me, you!”

It was getting even more complicated.

What does that mean, come on !

I then took some more time to clear up the misunderstanding with Sosuke and Kurase.