Story 3-14『Re: School Life』
I finished cleaning the cla.s.sroom and stopped by the faculty room. It was necessary to crush every dangerous possibility.
In the staff room, I talked about the situation to the homeroom teacher. He listened to what kinds of things Samejima did and I explained why Katsuragi"s grades were like that. I successfully got an agreement of cooperation from him to help overcome Katsuragi"s situation. The teacher also seemed to be troubled by Samejima because was taking advantage of being the board chairman"s grandchild.
Additionally, Katsuragi had also stopped by and heard about it.
… That guy"s thoughtful nature hadn"t changed after all…
I was genuinely happy about that.
"… Katsuragi, I"ll be waiting." (Tamaki)
I got off to a reasonable starting dash and improved my mood on the way back to my dormitory room.
Oginomiya"s dormitory has one room per person. Though at times it felt small, it was never inconvenient for day-to-day life.
"… Hmmm." (Tamaki)
I was now sitting in a chair at my desk in the corner of my room stretching.
I opened the notebook on my desk. However, I wasn"t paying attention to it.
I was putting aside my studies to think of a strategy to improve my position with Katsuragi. Though it wasn"t giving any results…
"… This isn"t helping …" (Tamaki)
My adventurer clothes and waist pouch were transferred to this room. The contents were the same as they were.
… Speaking of which, I wonder if I could use magic here?
"Ice Wind" (Tamaki)
I tried to chant, but it appeared there was no effect… So no magic… Though whether it would be useful or not was something else entirely…
It couldn"t be helped then…
"… I can"t deal with times like this… I need to cool down from the excitement earlier…" (Tamaki)
"Whaaaat are you up to? Yui-chan." (Shuri)
"Nothing, just trying to figure out what to do now…" (Tamaki)
… … Hm?
My close friend Shuri-chan was peeking at my face from above.
… … Shuri-chan? How!?
"Uwa-!?" (Tamaki)
In my surprise I put my weight against the backrest and fell onto the floor.
"Oww…" (Tamaki)
"A-are you okay? Yui-chan?" (Shuri)
"Ah, y-yeah. Somehow." (Tamaki)
Shuri-chan worried and lent her hand to me. I grabbed it and stood up.
"Really? Though you hit your head hard…" (Shuri)
"I"m fine, I"m fine. It was only a little painful. Not even a scratch." (Tamaki)
Besides, it was nothing compared to the damage I took from being used as a shield for Katsuragi.
That guy, because of that one matter in the【Scorching Execution Ground】, I was really used as a shield. How long was I desperately trying to not die…? I took a few hits…
… That idiot…
"… Yui-chan?" (Shuri)
"… Ah, yeah? What is it?" (Tamaki)
"… No, because you suddenly smiled, I was wondering what happened." (Shuri)
"… … Nothing in particular." (Tamaki)
I didn"t say it. I didn"t say that I was smiling from remembering a conversation with Katsuragi.
"B-besides that, why did Shuri-chan come to my room? Or rather, how did you open the lock?" (Tamaki)
"Yeah. It was your carelessness, Yui-chan… ah, that"s not it… here!" (Shuri)
Shuri-chan took out the notebook that was hidden behind her back. It was covered with sporadic writing. However, there were some parts left blank.
"… These translated cla.s.sics… could you teach me?" (Shuri)
She stopped, tilted her head sideways and a.s.sumed a begging pose.
If it were Katsuragi, instead of attentively teaching him the cla.s.sics I’d teach him other things. [TN: ಠ_ಠ …]
"… Haa. It can"t be helped huh, Shuri-chan." (Tamaki)
I couldn"t refuse my best friend"s request. Since my plans for Katsuragi have started to come to a standstill a change of pace might be good.
… I also wanted to keep talking about it.
"Okay. Alright, come here." (Tamaki)
"Ya~y! Yui-chan, I love you~!" (Shuri)
I shut the notebook that had strategies for Samejima and took the notebook that had notes on the cla.s.sics out from the shelf. Shuri-chan was putting together a small table she had bought to use at parties.
I told her that I would teach her. However, in her case that meant she would be firmly requesting explanations until she understood. Therefore, I let her copy from my notebook. It felt like cheating, though I kept that thought to myself.
Shuri-chan immediately said "Thank you!".
"… Shuri-chan." (Tamaki)
While she was taking notes from the notebook into hers I poured a little grape juice from the refrigerator into two cups.
"Wha~t is it?" (Shuri)
She took a mouthful of the grape juice.
"… What would you say if I liked Katsuragi?" (Tamaki)
"Bu-!?" (Shuri)
As though it were a scene from a manga, Shuri-chan was holding her mouth—to keep the juice from spewing out.
"… Please, wash off your hand." (Tamaki)
"I-it"s fine! Because none came out, it"s okay! Though, apart from that!" (Shuri)
She was agitated and clapped her hands.
"Yui-chan! Tomorrow, you are going to the hospital! You did become strange from that shock to your head earlier after all!" (Shuri)
"What are you a.s.suming with that story? Besides, I"m fine from earlier, I"m normal!" (Tamaki)
"Then, you have bad taste!" (Shuri)
"… Wasn"t that a little cruel? He also has some good points…" (Tamaki)
"Like what~?" (Shuri)
"Eh, ah…" (Tamaki)
"… Thought so." (Shuri)
Shuri-chan started talking comfortingly and hit my back with a *PonPon*.
"Yui-chan… You should stop it with Katsuragi.. Hey, there are a few good people in our cla.s.s." (Shuri)
I felt a little annoyed and returned some revenge.
"Like Samejima?" (Tamaki)
"… Why is he no good?" (Shuri)
"Why? He is the most popular in our cla.s.s." (Tamaki)
"E-enough! I already know!" (Shuri)
Shuri-chan looked down as her face turned red. Such a reaction was cute, and would usually cause me to hug her tightly… However, it wasn"t the time for that now.
She likes Samejima and not Katsuragi.
I wasn"t happy about that, but… honestly, it made me happy.
I could monopolize Katsuragi here. Without being bothered by Shuri-chan and Hayase-san… there were times that I wanted him to see only me.
Because in reality Shuri-chan likes Katsuragi. I was second. I started to realize how amazing Hayase-san"s real feelings were.
"… Hey, Shuri-chan… You know, I seriously like Katsuragi." (Tamaki)
"So something was weird today…" (Shuri)
"That"s not it… I realized them. His merits and charm…" (Tamaki)
Katsuragi accepted me, one of the people that bullied him. As someone that he was willing to die for. Somehow or another I was selfishly hanging out with Katsuragi.
Together, together with him.
And, Katsuragi must be asleep in a place like this as well.
… That"s right. This Katsuragi should be the same as the real Katsuragi. I had an idea.
"I know that it’s ridiculous for me to say that after injuring him just recently." (Tamaki)
"… No. Yui-chan isn"t ridiculous. Because, someday… sooner or later we too may be targets in the future. It can"t be helped." (Shuri)
"Thank you. However, there’s no way that I’d give up. I don"t mind what you do with Samejima. Alright? There"s something that I want to do." (Tamaki)
"Something you want to do?" (Shuri)
"Yeah. Therefore, I think I should also tell Shuri-chan.
I started to tell her my plan. In order to help Katsuragi and to not involve her, it was necessary.
Shuri-chan noticed my serious atmosphere and became serious herself. She wasn"t the usual adorable mascot.
"First of all, I—" (Tamaki)
While improving the feelings of my best friend, I talked about what I would do.
"Good morning, Katsuragi!" (Tamaki)
『!?』(Everyone Else)
A major earthquake ran through the cla.s.s. In one go the noisy clattering quickly became silent.
Although I felt the gaze of everyone inside of the cla.s.s, this was expected. I sat in the seat next to Katsuragi.
"… Why are you so quiet. I"ll be embarra.s.sed if my greetings aren"t returned." (Tamaki)
"… …Ah, sorry…" (Daichi)
Katsuragi was astonished and started apologizing, but stopped in the middle.
"… You. Didn’t you listen to yesterday’s talk?" (Daichi)
"I have the habit of forgetting inconvenient things after a day." (Tamaki)
"Are you kidding me?" (Daichi)
"Uh-oh, it"s nonsense to shout here. Could you calm down?" (Tamaki)
"… … Tch." (Daichi)
Unlike from when I talked to Katsuragi after school yesterday, he stopped with a click of his tongue when he remembered there were a lot of cla.s.smates present.
Yeah, so far so good.
Second period.
"Katsuragi!" (Tamaki)
Third period.
"Katsuragi~" (Tamaki)
Lunch break.
"Katsuragi~. Eat with me~" (Tamaki)
Every period, I approached Katsuragi. Though I was depressingly ignored every time, I continued to charge without reading the situation.
It was lunch break now. I took Katsuragi"s hand without waiting for him to reply.
"Wai-, yo-…uo!?" (Daichi)
I took him with my hands that had been enhanced by my Physical stat and he was unable to put up a resistance.
Although Katsuragi was trying not to slip, I continued forward.
Though my destination was normally prohibited for students, I kept the key from the homeroom teacher yesterday. Turning the key that fit precisely in the keyhole, I opened the door and the blue sky came into sight.
The rooftop. A world with only Katsuragi and me. Our life would start here.
"Katsuragi." (Tamaki)
"What is it? My hand, hand, let go." (Daichi)
"Don"t wanna." (Tamaki)
In addition, I squeezed my hands. The sensation of Katsuragi"s cold hand felt good.
"—Let"s defeat Samejima." (Tamaki)
"Ah?" (Daichi)
Katsuragi looked up in reaction to the sudden words that he didn"t understand.
I understood his endurance.
His eyes, like when he killed me and when he heard about Samejima in Russell"s guild, were viciously smiling.
Though he didn"t answer, I understood.
"We"ll start fresh today. From here, our school life will begin again." (Tamaki)
After all, Katsuragi—is Katsuragi.