CH 91

After contacting Miura, I left the school and went home. It seemed that Shinyawas staying at school and socializing with his classmates, but for now, my first priority was to stay away from him. Even if we were to make contact with each other, it would be after I prepared a solid situation to corner Shinya.

“……Maybe I’m getting a little too heated.”

I feel like my body temperature is always higher than usual. But there’s nothing wrong with my physical condition, so it’s not like I’m sick. I’m sure my emotions are more intense than usual.

Finally. Finally, I have the perfect opportunity to pay back.

(The problem is……)

Yes, the only remaining question is whether Shinya is aware of my existence. If he’s not, there’s no problem, but if he is, I have to consider the possibility that he may contact me. If he contacts me, I’m dead in the water. Everything I have kept hidden until now will be exposed and crumble away. On the contrary, there’s a possibility that it will be like middle school all over again.

“……Phew.”

I let out a slightly flaming breath to calm my mind. The summer vacation is coming soon. I hope I can somehow settle this before then. If I do that, I will be able to spend my summer vacation without any worries, but I’m sure it will be difficult at this rate.

If I leave Shinya alone like this, he will definitely build up a high level of trust within the class. Then, with a sense of playing with fire, he hunts down someone he doesn’t even know well. And no one will think it was Shinya who did it.

Yes, just like he did on that day.

“Well, I don’t care who it is, but……”

It’s not my business……but it’s annoying to let that guy do as he pleases. Even I can’t read what he’s thinking, but I’m sure he’ll do something soon. And he will make someone else responsible for it. I don’t like the fact that things are going the way he wants them to go, even though I’m not directly involved.

“Anyway, I’ve decided on a course of action.”

As for Shinya, I decided to leave him alone for a while and let him swim. It hasn’t been long since he came to this school. Most likely, he would not do something immediately. If my guess is correct, he should have a smooth sailing high school life for a month.

Then, what will I do while I leave Shinya alone? That kind of thing is decided. I take my phone out of my pocket and make a call.

“Well, will they be leaving at this time?”

I heard a few calls in the dusk light, and I thought I heard a popping sound, then I heard a muffled voice on the other end of the phone.

[……What?]

“I thought I should listen to your story soon.”

[….I don’t get what you mean.]

The person on the other end of the line was Yukihana, who made no attempt to hide her grumpiness over the phone. I had previously exchanged contact information with her. I thought a chat app would be fine, but since Yukihana hadn’t dropped any of those apps, it ended up being a painful exchange of phone numbers. When Hisui had contacted me before, the person I had left the phone connected to was also Yukihana. I decided to reveal some information to her in order to sway her mind.

“More than that, answer my question. What are you holding onto?”

[…..It’s none of your business.]

“Yes, it does.”

[……On what basis?]

“Maybe your problem is the mess you’re in with the new student, right?”

[……]

Yukihana fell silent. The reason why she doesn’t deny it right away is that she is implicitly agreeing with what I’m saying. Or because it doesn’t make sense? But based on the information I had heard from Miura, I concluded that this was the only way to think about it. And the way Yukihana has been behaving these past few days tells me that I’m not mistaken.

“And your disobedient brother made the matter even more complicated.”

[…..What are you implying?]

“Who knows. I’m just saying what’s on my mind.”

Then both Yukihana and I stop talking at the same time and there is a brief moment of silence. It’s okay to give this guy advice like this, but that alone doesn’t seem to solve anything. It’s meaningless unless I start by changing her way of thinking.

“I had a rough idea of what you’re going through, but is it something you can solve on your own?”

[…..S-shut up.]

“You’re the one who’s making a lot of noise, okay?”

[Annyong…I’m hanging up.]

“I see, then I want you to tell me something different.”

Yukihana stopped the conversation and showed signs of ending the call, so I changed the topic. One of my goals was to get some of her thoughts back, but I had another goal in mind when I called Yukihana.

“Your brother…..I want you to tell me Yukihana Hisui’s contact information.”

[…..Huh?]

“I want to be able to contact that guy at any time.”

[Screw you, who’s going to tell you?]

Usually there’s some pause, but this time, Yukihana refused immediately. Apparently, it’s extremely unpleasant for me to know her brother’s contact information. If that’s the case, I’ll also fight with arguments.

“I was almost attacked by your brother. You should know that, too, if you’ve been listening in on our calls. Right?”

[……]

“Don’t you think it’s because I’m keeping my mouth shut that he’s still here, right?”

[……You’re threatening me?]

“Who knows. I’ll just tell you that modern smartphones can record sounds around you while you’re talking.”

Yes, I could sue Yukihana Hisui for assault if I wanted to. The school will start an investigation as soon as I make the offer, and if I let them hear the audio, it will give credibility to my statement. Even if she, his sister, covers for him, it won’t mean anything.

[…..What are you going to do to Hisui?]

“I won’t do anything and I won’t tell him anything he doesn’t want to know. Let me assure you of that.”

[……What are you going to tell him?]

“Just a little small talk.”

Normally, she would just cut me off. But since I have the evidence of the assault, Yukihana has no choice but to think about how to act. Of course, Yukihana would use some clever tactic or quibble to get back at me. However, she’s not showing any such signs this time, as if she’s being cornered. Besides, I don’t have to ask Yukihana to tell me here, I’ll just ask Nanase.

And after a while……

[Okay. However, don’t do anything strange.]

Then she tells me Hisui’s phone number. I will use a pay phone later to check if it’s genuine or not, but for the time being, I have almost everything I need now.

“Then I guess my business here is done. Well then…..”

[Wait.]

“What?”

[……What are you up to?]

It’s not against Yukihana Hisui, I think she’s thinking that after seeing this series of events. Of course, I have no intention to tell her. But if I had to say…..

“For my own protection.”

These words are not false.

[…..I see.]

Yukihana ended the call after saying that. I don’t know if she was convinced or not, but it seemed to be a valid answer. And I was deep in thought about something.

I wonder how much my words reached Yukihana’s mind.

“Come to think of it, I had forgotten to give her some advice.”

I called Yukika for one more reason. To pass on this advice. At the very least, it would be an opportunity to break the current situation.

And it would also lead to a fundamental solution to a problem that I myself need to face soon. As expected, I realize somewhere in my heart that I can’t keep running away forever. I have to put an end to another bond that is different from Shinya.

And so I quietly return home, illuminated by the disgustingly dazzling sunset.