CH 27

Chapter 27: The Outdoor Classroom: Hanabi's Last Dance 3

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Once we finished cleaning up after dinner, the entire student body outside of the student council returned to their cabins and we're getting washed up. Coming back from the public bath in my swim trunks, I notice a memo sticking out under my bag. 

"Huh? When did this get here...?" 

I naturally open up the memo and I see Yukishiro's handwriting. 

Dear Ichinose-kun, 

I want to talk to you privately about something before the campfire. I'll be waiting behind the cabins. 

Yukishiro Fumi 

She must have been here when I was in the baths. I sit beside Yukishiro-san in class, so I'm familiar with her handwriting; there's no way I could forget her elegant handwriting. There's no doubt that she wrote it herself. 

So she wants to meet me right now, but what for? She said just the two of us, so it could be something important. I don't want to keep her waiting long, so I head behind the cabins without much of a thought. Now that I think about it, that might not be the greatest of ideas. 

"You've kept us waiting, Ichinose." 

I'm out of breath by the time I arrive, and instead of Yukishiro-san, I'm greeted by Kirigaya and his gang. 

"You fell for the oldest trick in the book! Alright, restrain him!" 

"Huh...?" 

Restrain...? 

I'm not really sure what Kirigaya meant when he said that, but his lackeys seem to get the message as they surround me. As I'm caught off guard, they tie me up in rope. Wait, what the hell are they doing? Are they really doing something like this...? 

"Why are you acting so violent and what's your end game? If the school finds out that you've been stalking someone from another grade, they'll definitely suspend you!" 

"Shut the fuck up! This is all so I can regain my standing with the princess. I'll do what I must to achieve that!" 

"Princess...? You don't mean Hanabi?" 

I feel my sanity slipping away as I ask that, as Kirigaya reddens and scowls at me. 

"Hey! Someone muzzle him too!" 

Because my hands are thoroughly tied behind my back, I can't resist when they gag me. They're well prepared. If I try to struggle, I'll only tire myself out. I'm clearly outnumbered, so it's best if I just hold on and get a grasp on the situation. 

Inside my jersey pocket is a hunting knife from when we were making dinner. If I don't mess up, I can use that to my advantage and get the hell out of here. They probably didn't think I'd have a knife on me after I took my bath, so that's a costly error on their part. 

"Come on, let's take him to the rendezvous point." 

They violently push me into the forest behind the cabins. There's a huge slope in the forest and considering that I'm tied up, relying on just the moonlight to guide my step is not ideal. Even with the flashlights that Kirigaya and his gang are using, I'm still tripping all over. 

"Hah... Hah... No one will hear his screams if we take him this far. Hey, someone tie him to the tree." 

Despite being out of breath, they still tie me to the tree. 

"And with this, you won't be at the campfire, how sad!" 

Kirigaya and his gang all laugh at my expense as they force the gag out of my mouth. Even if I try to yell, that won't do any good. 

"So that's your plan? Not letting me go to the campfire?" 

"Of course." 

It wasn't Kirigaya or one of his lackeys who answered my question. Hearing that voice filled me with annoyance, but more importantly, shock. 

"Thank you so much Senpai, for catching him successfully." 

"Hanabi..." 

With a flashlight in tow, Hanabi stumbles her way down the slope. Flustered, Kirigaya comes to her aid, but she shakes him off. Having finally descended, she puts on a cocky face. 

"What are you doing here...?" 

Of course, whenever I get involved in a sticky situation, Hanabi is always at the center of it. I should have expected it, but I'm caught off guard because the outdoor classroom is in a remote area in the mountains. I didn't expect to see Hanabi herself here. 

"Alright, good job. You've done enough, you guys can go back now." 

As if driving away a bug, she shoos them away. While Kirigaya is usually seems pissed off all the time, he looks scared to offend Hanabi in anyway, which is probably due to the fact that he was dumped by Hanabi before. He and his lackeys scatter away in a hurry. 

"Alright, Senapi, now we're finally alone. No one will disturb us, so we can have a nice long chat." 

She smiles, with the moonlight illuminating her figure. Of all the terrible things she has done, this one takes the cake. No one in their right minds would slip to another event for another grade just to stir up trouble. 

"I told them already, but if the school finds out, they'll be suspended for sure." 

"Ahaha, so be it then." 

She shrugs her shoulders as she says that. 

"There's a legend at our school that I know all too well. That's why I won't let you go to the campfire." 

"Huh?" 

"Don't try to weasel your way out of this one. Yukishiro Fumi invited you, did she not? She wants to be with you at the campfire." 

My head is pounding. 

"Don't tell me you came all the way here just for that?" 

"Of course I did." 

"Are you out of your mind? Just for that..." 

"Why not? Is that all you want to say? You know you're so precious to me, no matter how cruel you can be to me." 

I don't know why Hanabi wants to meddle so much in my private life. I can't and won't fathom why. I'm bound to the tree by my wrists as I watch Hanabi prance around freely. She must think she has the upper hand here, as she continues her torrent of insults with her arrogant attitude. 

"I mean, all of this is your doing, Senpai. If you only had heeded the rumours that circulating and skipped out on the outdoor classroom, I wouldn't have needed to do this." 

"..." 

"Please reflect on your actions, Senpai. I'm just here to remind you how deep your sins run." 

It's good that I don't respond, as Hanabi spews out even more insults. Even I couldn't have imagine things would have gone this way. Regardless, because Hanabi is so distracted with her torrent of insults, I was able to loosen the binding on my wrists. 

"As you are right now, Senpai, you're probably the most hated kid at school! And now it comes back full circle. When will you realize that the only place you belong is with me? Hahaha! You reap what you sow, Senpai!" 

As she's cackling maniacally, I manage to free my hands completely from the rope. Everything else should be smooth sailing from here. I take the hunting knife out my jersey pocket and cut all of the ropes binding me, giving me complete freedom. I stand up, brushing my hands free as I watch the cocky smile on Hanabi's face freeze completely still. 

"Huh? W-what...? W-what's going on Senpai? How are you freely moving?" 

"Kirigaya and his lackeys spent a lot of time with the gag, when they should have put more time and effort into making a tighter and tougher knot for the rope." 

I show the cut up rope right in Hanabi's face as her mouth twitches. My work is done here. Time to fulfill that promise with Yukishiro-san and spend the night at the campfire together. I turn my back to Hanabi and make my way back when I hear a desperate voice from behind me. 

"H-hold on! D-don't go! You can't go there with her...!" 

Throwing away her ego, she starts moving towards me. 

"D-don't do this...! Senpai, please re- Ahh!" 

I hear a shrill scream ring out; afterwards, I hear the sounds of muddled tumbling.

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Translator’s Note: He casually carries around a hunting knife…?