Volume 2 - CH ss - 5

Volume 2, Side Story 5: Point of No Return

Monday came in at the worst timing.

Hanae was often next to me when waiting for the teacher around this time, but today she sat on her set with her head buried in her hands.

She was always like that on test return day. It was something like a sinner waiting for verdict.

I was at my wit's end. What happened last Saturday and Sunday did a lot of damage to my heart.

Yukinaga-senpai was mad at me, and Shigure said she was quitting as a manager.

But now that all of that really happened, there was no point in worrying about it now. I should apologize to Senpai and ask Shigure to reconsider.

If I didn't do this, my relationship with them might be severed.

More importantly, wasn't the classroom too quiet?

Even if it was the day where tests were returned, was there ever a time I saw my classmates seated quietly, patiently waiting for the teacher?

I was able to concentrate on my thoughts thanks to that, but looking around, it was an eerie sight.

"You guys~, return to your seats...you already are. That's unusual."

Then came in our homeroom teacher, Yokotani-sensei. Sensei seemed to have the same impression as I did.

Listening to the exchange between Sensei and my classmates, I finally understood why. Apparently, everyone was eagerly awaiting the results of their tests.

It was a bizarre scene. Both guys and girls were grinning and urging the teacher to return them quickly.

"...So-so, huh."

My scores were neither good nor bad. I didn't study much, so this result was understandable.

Of course, I didn't have any red marks, but the score wasn't particularly high enough to be excited about.

So, I dazedly stared at my test papers.

"Uwoooahhh?! Is this for real?! I got...60?!"

"All over 80! I'm surprised!"

Meanwhile, I heard the happy voices of my classmates. I listened and found that there were quite a few who achieved high scores.

I didn't think much of it, but it looked like my ranking in the class would be lower this time around.

And for that matter...

Normally by now, Umi and the others would have come over to ask me about my score and show theirs, but no one was around me.

They were crowding Jimichi Ikuto.

I didn't think a study group was that big of a deal, but were the problems prepared by Jimichi really that effective?

Everyone had a smile on their face. And Jimichi Ikuto was the reason for it.

―― I didn't find this amusing.

Was what I thought when I saw Jimichi, surrounded by everyone, wearing a dubious smile on his face.

You could be the center of the class as much as you wanted, but I wished you wouldn't make so much noise when some people were feeling down.

Test scores didn't matter to me. What I was thinking right now was Yukinaga-senpai and Shigure...――

―― No way, did he do something?

Yukinaga-senpai, Shigure, and Jimichi. I clearly remembered the scene when the three of them were huddled together.

I didn't know what they were up to, but I was certain at least that they knew each other. Not only that, but they also seemed to get along well...but I didn't want to think about that.

The days that followed after that. Somehow, Yukinaga-senpai found out about the soccer club's schedule, and Shigure suddenly wanted to quit as a manager.

He isn't involved in those, is he?

Did he instigate Shigure to tell Senpai about the club's matters and also to resign?

...What am I even on about. I'm overthinking too much.

There was no way Jimichi would know the schedule of our club, and since Shigure became the manager because she was interested in me, she wouldn't quit simply because he said something to her.

They must have had another reason, and so did I.

All I should think about was how to apologize to those girls.

In the first place, what's in it for him...don't tell me, is he trying to separate them from me...?

"Susumu-kun~...how's yours...?"

Just as I was about to start to go on about unnecessary things again, I heard a voice next to me where there shouldn't have been.

I looked to the side, and there, was my childhood friend, Hanae. Looking at my expression, she tilted her head curiously.

Impossible. Today was test return day, right? There was no way that Hanae should be next to me.

"Y-you...you're able to walk..?"

"W-what do you mean? I don't have any broken bones?"

Every test return day, Hanae was always so depressed that she even had difficulty standing up, and yet here she was, walking around a few minutes after they were returned?!

I was even prepared to carry her home on my back if she did too poorly today.

"Enlightenment? Did you achieve a state of nirvana?"

"Enlightenment...? Only textbooks were opened, you know? Also, I only had one red mark."

She said that with a straight face.

Such a shocking reveal blew everything out of my mind, including the matter about Jimichi.

――――

――

―

"―― Moving on. Let's decide who will be on the sports club committee. Anyone want to volunteer?"

The discussion held during this long homeroom was about the election of sports festival committee members. There didn't seem to be any, and no hands were raised, either.

Well, not many people were willing to do this kind of thing.

It wasn't that they didn't like doing so, it was more like...how should I say this, they didn't want to be special?

As for me? Rather than not being interested, inter-high was coming up.

―― Don't run for the committee

...I should refrain. No need to go out of my way to make trouble for myself.

I wasn't on any committee, but I was on a club. There should be students who weren't in both, so they should do it.

"...Then any suggestions?"

With those words from our teacher, I could feel the tension rising in the class.

My seat was at the very back, so I had a good view of my classmates' reactions. Most of them stayed inconspicuous and kept their eyes down.

It was funny because some of them were shuffling when talking about volunteering earlier, but when the conversation turned to nominating, everyone stopped moving.

That was why he really stood out. A student sitting at around the middle suddenly turned around.

That guy then met me in the eye.

Jimichi...

That guy was Jimichi Ikuto.

It was as if he was asking to be nominated. It was a small movement, but it wasn't unnoticeable when he was the only one moving when everyone wasn't.

He stared at me, as if waiting for me to make a decision.

Either way, it was creepy. I found myself looking away from Jimichi.

If there were no volunteers nor nominees at this point, anyone who caught Sensei's eye would be the one.

One person was standing out. What was it, Jimichi? Did you want me to nominate you? Did you really want to be a part of the sports committee?

Or, did you want me to volunteer? What good would it be for you if I did?

―― Nominate

An advantage for Jimichi...? I didn't know what kind of benefit there was, but I didn't want to give any of that to you, the guy at the center of the class and the one related to Yukinaga-senpai and Shigure.

Besides, if I did become a member of the sports committee, I wouldn't have any freedom left. As expected, you were thinking of pulling them away from me while I was busy, weren’t you?

Both Yukinaga-senpai and Shigure.

Something like this, I might be overthinking, but it was possible that Jimichi and the other two would get to know each other while I was occupied.

"―― Sensei."

I wouldn't let him get what he wanted, so I nominated Jimichi Ikuto.

After successfully guiding my classmates, it was favorably easy for him to be chosen.

Jimichi didn't seem all that swayed by his classmates. My classmates also didn't seem like they were intentionally forcing him, either.

I thought I was the one who created this atmosphere, but I had the feeling that they really thought that Jimichi was the right person for the job.

After that, I called out to Jimichi to make fun of him, but he was still the same as last time.

He said something that didn't make sense again, but for reason, I couldn't stop breaking out in a cold sweat.

I escaped quickly to avoid him seeing my face, but he shouldn’t have noticed, right?

However, the word 'lose' that Jimichi said wasn't leaving my ears.

It couldn't be...that he was talking about losing those two, was he?