Volume 1 - CH 22

All eyes are on the teacher at the podium.

I shifted my eyes to Himekawa, but she was also looking at the teacher.

“The other day, news broke about Himekawa’s family. I think everyone probably knew about this, so I’ll skip it. I will start from the conclusion and tell everyone. There is nothing to be worried about. It has not been announced to the public yet, but Himekawa’s father will be back in the near future.”

The classroom is buzzing. I am sure they have all seen the news.

We don’t know the truth about how Himekawa’s father is doing now, but everyone is probably imagining things on their own.

“Himekawa herself is going through a difficult time at home. Everyone, please help Himekawa.”

The teacher writes the word “person” in large letters on the blackboard. [TLN: Kanji is “人”]

No way, is he going to say that famous thing here?

“You see, the word ‘person’ means… support each other…”

I knew it! The word for “person” is “support each other! That’s the one!

“You could say. Look at the first stroke. It looks like it’s about to fall over. And the second one brilliantly saving the first stroke.”

Well, it doesn’t look like that.

“I want you all to become adults who can help others as the second stroke does. You can help someone else, and in return, someone else can help you.”

Yeah, I see what you mean.

I mean, Himekawa is in trouble right now, so you want us to support her, right?

I looked around the class and everyone was either convinced or unsure.

Perhaps everyone understood. They must have.

“Okay. just go about your school life as normal as you have always done and don’t think of this as a big deal”

―Ring―Ring―Ring―Ring

The bell chimes. The time is up for the current class.

I am sure the teacher’s story is really not that big of a deal because he’s always getting sidetracked.

“That’s it for today. Um, Tendo! Collect the printouts and take them to the staff room.”

Heh, why? I’m not in charge of that, okay?

I tried to object, but the teacher quickly left the classroom.

Why did he pick me? While wondering, I collect the printouts and dash to the staff room.

“Tendo! No running in the hallway!”

“Yes!”

The teacher in the next class warns me, and I walk quickly to the staff room.

This is a bad time for me to be in the teacher’s office. I’m not having a good day at all.

—knock—knock

“Excuse me”

I hand the printouts to the teacher and try to get back to the classroom as soon as possible.

“Tendo, I’ll be brief”

I was grabbed by the sleeve and stopped in my tracks.

I turn around and look at the teacher.

“This morning, a lawyer named Imai called the school.”

I could feel my heart thumping.

“Himekawa is at Tendo’s place now. Am I right?”

I nod silently.

“I see. Take good care of Himekawa. We’ll talk more about this later.”

I was let go of my sleeve and left the staff room and hurried back to the classroom.

Imai-san contacted the school. There had been some progress.

But I’m not sure what the teacher meant when she said, ‘Please take care of her’.

Back in the classroom, I saw some people gathered around Himekawa.

The conversation I heard as I passed by them was idle talk.

Thank goodness, it looks like school life will go on as usual now.

I sit in my seat and listen to the usual music until the next class starts.

The music is always the same. It is the same music that I have heard over and over again.

For some reason, this music calms me down.

—tap—tap—tap

I am tapped on the shoulder.

What is it, Takayama? What’s the deal anyway?

“Tendo. Hey, Tendo.”

Looking back, I knew it was Takayama.

“What is it? Is there an incident?”

“No, it’s not an incident. Hey, Nadeshiko is in trouble now, right? This is an opportunity!”

I don’t understand what Takayama means. What is Takayama thinking?

“I don’t know what the chances are, but I think you’d better go to bed before you start blurting things out.”

I reply a little harsher than usual.

Takayama is clenching his fists. He is a noisy guy.

The conversation with Takayama is not very exciting, and before I know it, it’s after school.

Well, I have to go to my part-time job with Himekawa. I should send a message to Himekawa for now.

{Can we meet up in front of the station for now?}

After a while, a reply comes.

{I understand. Can we meet on the bench?}

{Okay}

We send brief messages to each other and close the app.

It’s really efficient.

“Tendo, who are you messaging with?”

“Nothing. I was just calling about my part-time job.”

I am not lying. I just twisted my wording.

Then, homeroom was over and we went through the main gate of the school without incident.