Volume 2 - CH ss - 1

Volume 2, Side Story 1: Bad Selection ~Fair And Cloudy~

Tendou's POV.

Turning point.

Route disappearance confirmed, waiting for results.

"Time's up! Put your pens down!"

After the last test was over, I sighed as I rested my pen.

My performance on the test was...well, the usual. I didn't think I was going to get any red marks, but then again, I didn't think I would score higher than a 90.

I didn't pay much attention to it, and I never checked my rank so I didn't know for sure, but my grades should be among the top five in this class.

"Jimichi! Thanks!'

A familiar voice echoed across the classroom. The voice belonged to my friend, Togawa Umi.

Umi, who was in the same class as me last year, always went straight to me every after test. It was a tradition for him to complain with a despairing look on his face, but that wasn't the case this time.

Starting with the excited Umi, more classmates of mine surrounded Jimichi Ikuto.

Both Umi and my classmates had smiles on their faces. Was the study session really effective?

"Susumu-kun...the test, how did you do?"

"And you're still like this..."

The only one who came up to me was Hareyama Hanae. Her expression wasn't too good, and it seemed like she didn't do well on the tes.t

But now that I think about it, this too, didn't happen before.

After a test, Hanae would plop down on her desk and cry. She would get red marks in almost every subject, which left her legs too out of strength to even walk.

What about this time? She certainly did look dispirited, but unlike usual, she seemed somewhat relaxed.

"You're not crying this time? Have you accepted your failed grades already?"

"I-I don't know, yet! There's still a chance I didn't fail!"

What are you talking about? It's rare for you to not get a fail, I thought to myself.

Or maybe she had someone to help study after we split up at the library? Hanae wasn't smart enough to avoid failing on her own.

"...After that happened, did someone help you study?"

"...That doesn't matter to you, Susumu-kun."

I was a bit irritated at Hanae who said this while turning the other way, but I couldn't continue when I was the one who left her alone in the first place.

If she really was that confident, then someone must have indeed helped her. Maybe, she joined a study group with Jimichi or something similar...?

"Well, whatever happened, you're confident you won't get red marks, aren't you?"

"Um... The only one I'm not confident in is English ――"

"―― Hey, Hareyama-san! Can I borrow Tendou for a bit?"

A girl from my class interrupted Hanae who was about to say something.

When I turned my head to see what was going on, I saw a female classmate of mine, whose face was cheerful in contrast with Hanae, inviting me to go out with them.

"How about it? I think most people would join."

If most of the class did, then it could already be called a class gathering.

I had been a member of this class for less than two months. I was sure I'd be able to get along with my classmates if I kept up with stuff like this.

The problem was Hanae though, who had been making a subtle face since a while ago. Did she not want to go?

―― Participate

"Since I'm already here, I might as well."

"Then I'll see you at the school gate! Don't be late~."

Without confirming with Hanae, my classmates left the classroom. I felt like me and Hanae were often thought of as a set, maybe because we were always so close together.

I didn't confirm with Hanae, either, but she was a person who participated in these kinds of things, so I thought it should be okay not to ask.

"Let's get going then, Hanae."

"Ah, um...you know? I had still something to do..."

Hanae, whose expression hadn't been good since a while ago, said this reluctantly.

"Errands from your family?"

"No...it’s just for a moment. I'll see later, so can you go ahead first?"

"...I see, got it."

Without pursuing the matter, I left the classroom with Umi and the others who approached me.

I checked on Hanae as I was leaving, and was surprised to see her seated back on her chair, not moving.

The hallway was slightly crowded as numerous students went out at the same time. In the middle of all this, I spotted someone with a flaxen hair that stood out.

It was Reika. I went towards her, who was leaning against the wall as if she was waiting for someone, and called out to her.

"Reika? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Susumu? What, are you going somewhere?"

"Ah, just hanging out with my class for a bit."

"...Is that so."

Was Reika waiting for me? I thought as I saw Reika lowering her eyes in frustration.

However, she normally would have walked inside the classroom. Did she hesitate to enter when she saw the atmosphere inside the classroom today?

"You wanted to see me, by any chance?"

"I-it's not that! Well, I did wonder if you were free..."

I was used to this kind of language from Reika, who was somewhat insincere. The way she said it, maybe she did have something to do with me after all.

Either way, I was certain she was waiting for someone. Reika must have planned to head out by now, since she only put on her earrings after school.

Still, the fact was that she was waiting. Needless to say, I had no choice but to decline Reika's invitation since I was attending a class gathering today.

"Sorry, but today ――"

"―― Ah...sorry, Susumu. I have to go now."

After she said this, Reika shot away from me.

Perhaps she found the person she was waiting for? It looked like that was the case, but I couldn't see anyone at the direction Reika ran at.

"Hey, Susumu! If you're done, should we go now?"

"...Ah, I'm going."

While I was talking to Reika, Umi, who was silently watching us from the background, urged me.

On our way to the school entrance, Umi spoke to as I was reflected on what just happened.

"Reika is really cute~. More importantly, did you just get dumped?"

"Huh? Why did you think that?"

"I mean, she had ugly expression when she was talking to you, but then her eyes suddenly changed color and went running."

"...So what if that's the case?"

"That's why I'm asking you, you should've seen her boyfriend, right~?"

"I never heard about her having one."

I often hanged out with Reika after school, and she basically went to see me and Hanae during spare time.

If she had a boyfriend, he would be her priority. I felt like we haven't been crossing paths a bit lately, but I didn't think she would be getting a boyfriend that soon.

"By the way, where's Hanae?"

"She said she had something to do and she'd catch up later."

"Then you should have waited for her."

"Why do I have to go that far?"

"...You idiot, someone's going to take them away from you, you know? They're both cute."

"Then so be it...I'm not really with them together..."

"I'm only half-joking, okay? But it's that farfetched?"

"..."

After that, I met up with the rest of the class while Umi talked with me a lot. There were a good number of people present, but if you looked around, you could see that a few didn't show up.

We gathered into a large group and headed to the amusement park.

――――

――

―

"―― Jimichi is really amazing, isn't he."

"Yeah! Even the same exact problems appeared."

"It wasn't just the similar, but even word for word!"

"The number one in our grade is really amazing."

I was currently enjoying karaoke with around ten of my classmates. Because the group was so huge, we were split into three or so rooms.

The karaoke was more about having conversations that singing, but the topic seemed exclusively about Jimichi Ikuto.

Or rather, Jimichi was the smartest in our grade? Were those creepy stuff he said was because he was smart?

It might be possible that he was trying to tell me something in a somewhat difficult way, but I must not have been able to understand any of it because I was just a little bit smarter than everyone else.

That annoyed me. Besides, anyone would be too if someone said something like that out of the blue.

But we were classmates first and foremost, so it would be an exaggeration to say we wouldn't be involved much.

"Our lord Jimichi, I'll start calling you Jimichi-sama now."

"He's got good looks! Great personality, too."

"He feels fresh. Also, I saw him on the streets the other day and he was very stylish."

"But Jimichi-kun's presence was very thin last year, wasn't it?"

"A year, or even just a week ago, he still had that gloomy aura..."

""People really change, don't they.""

Their impression of the old Jimichi didn't seem that much different from mine.

It was amazing how much he changed. I wondered if there was some change of heart.

"Susumu is a smart guy, too! Susumu even held a study group for us last year."

"What are you even talking about..."

Umi suddenly began talking. Although it was only among my group of friends, I did take the lead in organizing a study group last year.

"Yeah, Tendou too, but he's no match for Jimichi, right?"

"...I'm not trying to compete."

Why should I be compared to him? If I studied hard, I could even be first place in our grade...

"Well, Tendou has Hareyama-san! And also, Azumi-san."

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Unacceptable, why are those pretty girls with you..."

"Hey, hey, which one of them do you like?!"

The topic shifted from Jimichi to me, but it was something I didn't want to talk about.

I felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave the room, but there was no way out.

"Speaking of which, Hanae-chan's late, isn't she?"

Hanae... Right, if I used Hanae as an excuse, I should be able to exit rather smoothly.

But there was also the possibility that we would pass by each other. Well, I could contact her when I leave the room.

―― Leave

"I’ll go pick her up."

Umi gave me a reason to go, so I took this as good fortune.

I left the room forcefully, despite a few cold shoulders sent my way, and went back to school to where Hanae was.

――――

――

―

"Sorry~, I'm a bit late."

"Huh, Hanae-chan? Where's Tendou-kun?"

"Susumu-kun? Um...?"

"He just returned to school to pick up Hanae-chan..."

"Is that so? But I haven't seen him."

"Ah~, you must have passed by each other. Have you heard from him or something?"

"He went back...but I went ahead?! W-what should I do?"

"Calm down, he should be back soon!"

"S-should be, right. I'll contact him just in case..."

"But more importantly, Hanae-chan! That person behind your back, no way?!"

"Ah, I'm not in your class...but is it okay for me to join?"

""Of course!""

"Isn't that great ―― then, Reika-chan, let's go in together."