The
second day of the second semester midterm examinations has ended without a
hitch.
The
exam period is scheduled to end in the morning, and the students are expected
to finish their homeroom before lunch.
「Chihiro-kun, let's eat lunch」
「Yes」
Aika
had made a bento for Chihiro since he had to work for the student council
during the exam period. Aika says that the food she cooks is the same as the
one she cooks when she comes home, so she must have put a lot of effort into
it.
As
their classmates came home one after another and they had lunch together, they
parted at the stairs on the second floor.
「Well, be careful」
「...Hmm」
If
someone had heard them, they would have wondered why they were talking that
way.
Of
course, Chihiro would be careful with Suzu.
**a
...Just
for the record, it's unlikely that she'll come down hard on him right away.
After
all, if she does, she would have done it right there.
And
when he thinks about it, the reason why Suzu is under the protection of
Yuu-chan or Principal Ootori, though she feels annoyed, is because there must
be a reason to do so.
And the
reason is probably financial.
But at
the very least, she can't afford a hideout to kidnap and imprison Chihiro, and
it will take some time for her to come up with a plan to separate herself from
Principal Ootori. Though, there will be no other collaborators who can compete
with Principal Ootori.
Also,
Suzu's desire seems to be a slow and continuous daily life. There is almost no
line of elopement or forced suicide.
So, the
current situation is relatively safe.
However,
just to be on the safe side, he will remain vigilant. He has calculated that
Suzu will not barge into the student council room.
Given
that, this corridor may be the most dangerous.
「Kurohane-senpai?」
On the
way to the student council room, Yotsuba was working on something on a small
bulletin board on the wall.
At the
sound of Chihiro's voice, she turned and smiled.
「Good afternoon, Izumi-kun.」
「Good afternoon. ...Are you changing the
posters?」
She
seemed to be fiddling with some posters and studs in the corners.
「Oh, no. Some of the posters were
peeling off, so I was fixing them」
Chihiro
looked at it and saw that the poster had been put up by a group other than the
student council.
Well,
in that case, this was in the category of school beautification, and this job
was more the work of the Public Morals Committee. But――
「I think the right thing to do is to let
the person who noticed it do the work」
「Do you often fix such things?」
「Yes, I do. Although I don't take the
trouble to look around in corridors that are normally not used」
In
other words, if the corridor is used, people will notice it.
And the
fact that Yotsuba notices it so often means that other people are not concerned
about it.
...It
also means that people who choose the least are unevenly distributed.
They
probably don't even bother to notify the school. If they do, they will not act
voluntarily, which is not in line with Yotsuba's philosophy.
「Isn't it hard? To fix it every time?」
「No. I'm just doing what I have to do」
Yotsuba
walked slowly away from the bulletin board.
Chihiro
followed her to the student council room.
「Those who are able to afford it should
use it not only for themselves but also for someone else who can't, right?」
「Noblesse oblige... is it?」
「Yes. It's a nice word. I remember my
father telling me about it when I was little and I was impressed」
Those who
have, work for those who don't.
Well,
Yotsuba was born and raised in a rich family, and if she follows this
philosophy, she will always live her life caring for others.
Born
into a prominent family and as a talented [Lost Item].
...If
that's the case, it's quite appalling.
But at
least Chihiro should do what he can to help her.
「...Ah」
「What's wrong, Izumi-kun?」
Yotsuba
looked back at Chihiro who suddenly stopped.
The
student council room was almost there, but as he recalled the events of his
encounter with Yotsuba, he suddenly came across an association.
「Um, Kurohane-senpai. There's something
I'd like to talk to the principal. But do you know when he’s
available?」
「Eh?」
Yotsuba
tilted her head in wonder at the sudden request.
**b
☆ ☆ ☆
「It's a strange combination」
「I'm sorry. Izumi-kun wanted to talk to
the principal」
「Him, huh?」
Soon
Yotsuba was taking Chihiro to the Principal's office.
After
her, Chihiro entered the room and closed the door. When he turned around, he
felt Principal Ootori's eyes on him.
He gave
a nod to the man who implicitly asked him what he wanted.
「...Well, leave me alone with him from
here. You can return ahead」
「All right. See you later, Izumi-kun」
Yotsuba
obediently followed Principal Ootori's instructions.
Then,
Chihiro bowed to her as she left the room.
But he
made sure that the door closed before turning around.
「I didn't expect you to bring her along」
As soon
as they were alone, Principal Ootori reverted to a rough tone and muttered so.
It
seems that he hates Chihiro a lot.
「I'm sorry. I assumed you were busy」
「If you're going to retract what you
said yesterday, I'm not going to listen」
「No」
He
shook his head, pained by the straightforward and rejecting response.
「...I was going to tell you that I met
her right after that」
「I know. Suzu yelled at me, after all」
After
saying so, Principal Ootori glared at Chihiro.
He
stiffened, but Principal Ootori quickly let out a sigh and relaxed his
expression.
「Just kept your word. Although it is a
bit annoying」
「I'm sorry」
「Don't apologize. When you apologize, I
want to take out my anger on you」
When
Chihiro looked at him, he could definitely feel his anger.
「So that's [Mind-reading], huh? ...A
nasty ability」
His
word made Chihiro's heart ache.
But
people had said that to him many times before.
The
fact that there were people who wanted this ability near him, and that his
classmates had recently become more tolerant of it, brought back a feeling he
had forgotten.
...Why
does it keep happening, one after the other?
The
reality hits him hard like a reversal of his happiness.
As if
to say that happiness obtained in a twisted way is only temporary.
「She said she wouldn't give up. She
might do something crazy」
「Yeah, but I'll handle it. You just do
nothing, and when you see Suzu, push her away like you did yesterday. That
should be fine」
「Yes, I understand」
That's
all Chihiro need to do. Tell Principal Ootori what happened and it'll be fine.
So,
after settling this, he bowed his head and was about to leave but Principal
Ootori stopped him.
「Take this with you」
He took
out a business card from his pocket and wrote something on it.
「I wrote my private address on it. Next
time you need anything, send it there」
「Thank you」
He
thanked him, and this time he turned to face the door.
When he
put his hand on the doorknob, he suddenly wondered.
「Principal, are you her lover?」
「...No. Suzu has her own lover」
His
voice had a sad sound to it.
☆ ☆ ☆
