“It looks amazing…” With the appearance of a genuine model, it seemed like both Natsukawa and Ashida were entirely overwhelmed. I’m curious how the other people around us feel, but my gaze wouldn’t move away from the girl on the stage—My lady is serious now, I see. I was forced to show my admiration once. My heart was racing to the same level as when I first was treated kindly by Natsukawa. But unlike before, my racing heart was induced by this realization of mature charm, more than genuine kindness. The presence my lady emitted was too great to ignore, and just walking alone was plenty of a performance. “:..Oh, number 21, huh?” “That number plate is so unnecessary!” “But without that, nobody could vote for her…” It was a minuscule existence that could not hope to hurt the lady’s charm. But the number plate with the number 21 hung on her waist, which still stood out. Well, as Natsukawa said, it was necessary to vote. The other seniors had the same plate with a different number. Turning around at the front of the walkway, my lady brushed her blonde hair to the side and returned to the back of the stage with a confident walk. Man…that was something. Then again, with her looks, I doubt anything she’d wear would look bad on her. Even I, as a man, can’t help but feel jealous of that. With the lady’s disappearance, another girl emerged from the side and walked down the stage. And although I don’t like to sound condescending, I genuinely feel bad for her that she’s next right after that previous performance. The differences are just too clear. After all the participants had a chance to show themselves, followed by the attire club doing a final show, the lights dimmed and the regular BGM returned. It seems like this was the end of the performance.
‘With all these charming girls lined up, I’m sure the boys must have gotten their fill today. But this isn’t the end of your job today. We ask you to vote for your favorite out of all those 30 participants. And don’t run…because the promised time has arrived.’ You were the best, Announcer Kurahashi. As I gave her a mental thumbs-up of appreciation and approval, the previous models all appeared on stage. I’m guessing that voting time has arrived. And you did brilliantly, my lady. You are my number one. “As expected of Sajocchi’s favorite. I definitely got sucked in.” “Right? It took a lot of work to raise her into that. But by the way, she’s not my favorite.” “You didn’t raise anybody…” Feeling a sharp pain run through my chest at Natsukawa’s retort, I took out my smartphone and booted up the designated voting app, which now had changed the design to allow you to vote. I guess they didn’t add the names…But oh well. I bet she’d get angry if I voted for a different person…Not like she could find out, of course. I proceeded to vote for the number 21, and I would have done so even if she didn’t ask me. See, I know you could do it, my lady. I asked Natsukawa and Ashida who they voted for, and they also put in their vote for the lady. I guess their feelings of support mostly stem from the lady being a fellow first-year student. I wish I could have been born half-Japanese like her…Sajou Bouillabaisse Wataru. What an appetizing tone…But what was Bouillabaisse again? ‘Okay, this brings us to the end of the voting time! We’re counting the votes right now, so please wait a moment!’ “Shame that no familiar face showed up. Like Rin-sama.”
“And even if she did, she’d definitely be wearing boy clothes. Like a butler uniform. I can see all the girls screaming already.” “Stop it! Now I really wanna see it!” “Should I ask her sometime?” “Are you for real?!” “Of course. She’s actually pretty easy.” “Do you have no respect for your seniors…?” As we were talking about this and that, the BGM began to rise again, as the lights focused on the stage once more. The various models appeared from the back of the stage, with my blonde-haired halfJapanese lady once again stealing all the attention. She seemed satisfied with her performance, as she had one hand on her hip, grinning. At least keep up the facade until the very end, won’t you? But shortly after, I saw my lady looking around the hall like she was looking for someone. “Is she…looking for me?!” “No way she is.” “I highly doubt it.” Oh come on, at least let me get my hopes up! And I’m guessing my lady must have heard us causing a ruckus, as our eyes met for a moment. Since we technically know each other, I gave her a thumbs-up with a grin. “That face of hers practically screamed ‘Not you,’ though?” “She’s just hiding her embarrassment. I can tell.” “For sure isn’t.”
“That reminds me…She did seem a bit prickly after all…” I tried to ignore the cold and harsh reality in front of me, as my dear lady seemingly gave up on looking for her Romeo and just struck a pose like a mannequin. And yet, she seemed slightly displeased. ‘We have just finished counting all the votes! Let’s move on to the announcement!’ I could tell that our surroundings grew noisier. They’re probably all curious about who took the top spot. Plus, my perception and evaluation may differ from the average girl, so just because I couldn’t pull my eyes away doesn’t mean she’d be the sure-fire winner…But let’s see. ‘Today is Kouetsu High School’s 49th cultural festival—and this has been the Koetsu Fashion Collection! Just which participant will take the badge of being today’s winner?! Here are the results!’ The entire hall grew darker, followed by a drum roll. The lights moved all over the hall, hyping up the audience. ‘This year’s winner is—’ With one final beat of the drum, the lights focused on a single point on the stage. The person standing in the center of the lips was— ‘Entry number 21! We have a first-year student win today’s event! Shinonome Claudine Marika-san!’ “Ooooh…!” Roars of cheers and applause filled the hall. Others were whistling in approval. It seemed like the majority of the audience agreed with this decision. Alright, I’m joining in! Fweeet! Fweeet! Okay, and now a bit of applause!
“It was amazing. She took first place without any fixing.” “I bet she must have put a lot of work into it.” “Are you gonna participate next year?” I asked in jest. “I…don’t know. I’ll leave that to Aichi.” “Huh…?! But, with my height…and appearing in front of so many people…” “It’s okay. I’ll vote for you a hundred times, Natsukawa.” “You shouldn’t falsify a vote like that…!” On stage, my lady was currently being congratulated by the two seniors next to her. I would have expected them to give a condescending comment along the lines of “Some first-year student like you shouldn’t get all cocky,” but they must have seen how much work my lady put into her outfit. It’s a story that’s outside my world, I bet. From the side of the stage, the president of the attire club appeared, handing my lady a trophy. It even looked like my lady was tearing up a bit. I don’t know any of the background stuff, but I should at least go congratulate her later. Though I bet she’d just brag at me with a shit-eating grin. “I always thought she was a clumsy and sad type of a rich lady, but… Huh?” “Wait, what?!” That moment, the lights in the hall dropped entirely and turned everything dark. Thrown into this confusion, the people around us grew noisy, as someone held onto my right arm. Knowing this direction, it could have only been Natsukawa. I shall protect her as my life depended on it. Come at me, you bastards.
‘Oh, what a sudden revelation! Maybe we’re not done just yet?! The goddess of Kouetsu wishes not for this event to end!’ A goddess now? More like some prankster, throwing us into darkness. And the hall seems to have been locked up…Is this how the battle royale starts? Fine by me, I’m okay with throwing my life away to protect Natsukawa. Let’s meet again in the next life—Leaving the jokes aside, Announcer Kurahashi’s words made it clear that this was staged from the very beginning. It’s probably like an encore at a concert. But what would they add as a surprise after a fashion show…? A celebrity? A genuine model? Or maybe a voice actress? ‘The lights have focused back on the stage! Something is hiding behind the black curtain! What could be waiting to show itself?!’ What acting that is. The participants quickly made space in front of the black curtain, meaning they must have something big waiting—or several people. Can’t even tell from the silhouettes. Should they be hyping this up? What if some old man with toy guns appears to shoot sweets into the audience? They’ll completely ruin their ratings—Oh wait, this isn’t a TV show. ‘It’s time to do the big reveal! Our secret treat for today is this group of people—’ Maybe it’s some comedian? AKB46?! A live concert?! This cultural festival is crazy! This is where the real deal starts! You really know how to hype me up, damn it! ‘…The dear members of the student council!’ Are you joking you goddamn bastard?! Yet contrary to my disappointment, this revelation seems to have only made things more heated, as Big Sis and several other companions appeared. The curtains were pulled up to the ceiling, revealing them at once. “…Whaaaa…”
What first caught my attention was a sparkling wedding dress in snow white. I’m guessing it’s because I get to witness it with my own eyes instead of just through a TV screen during a drama, but the luxurious radiance it had was emphasized at least ten-fold. It showed what the attire club could do when they set their mind to it…No, actually, did they really make this? Looking away from the wedding dress, two hotties stood on both of Big Sis’s sides, wearing clothes that only put more attention to their overwhelming height, such as a white suit, a tuxedo, and even a tailcoat. They each wore a different type of outfit, looking like they were born to wear these clothes. The more introverted Yuuki-senpai kept a cool facade, as the playful Hanawa-senpai smiled, both of them holding one of Big Sis’s hands. “W-Wow…!” “So beautiful…! Wataru, look, look!” “Ah, yeah…I am watching, alright.” Ashida and Natsukawa could barely contain their excitement. Natsukawa was overwhelmed with excitement as the target of her admiration appeared on stage, pulling on my arm to no end. This is weird…I really tried to explain how much of a gorilla Big Sis is, but I failed…From an outsider’s perspective, it makes sense why Big Sis would receive this much admiration…But how am I supposed to feel seeing my big sister wearing a wedding dress? Is this what they call having complicated feelings? ‘Wh-What am I witnessing…?!’ What is happening here… ‘The Queen of Kouetsu, the blooming flower of the student council— Sajou Kaede-san! All the roses from our queen have been plucked, turning her into the Goddess of Kouetsu! Her gentle gaze is directed
only ahead of her, through the gym hall! Does she not even care about the four handsome gentlemen by her side?!’ Yet again, Announcer Kurahashi kept her lack of emotion while completely hyping up the entire place. But, I could not comprehend why her eyes were shot open in excitement like that. Tracing her gaze, I arrived at Big Sis’s face, having reached the “goal” a solid ten years before I expected her, as she just looked on ahead. To most people, this probably looks like a cool beauty, but the part you should pay attention to is her mouth. Because I can tell…she’s forming the truth! ‘They. Set. Me. Up.’ “Ack…!” Those were the words I read from her face, almost like they were written on her face with a black pen. Normally, I would feel joy at her suffering, but just this once, I was urged to show sympathy. I couldn’t even keep myself from groaning in pain. I’m sure that, beneath her thick makeup, she’s hiding her true face red from embarrassment and rage. You K4 guys, you really did it now…You guys remember who she’s living with?! I’m gonna be at the end of this smoking gun! ‘Oh my! An archaic smile from Hanawa-san! And a wink, too! Meanwhile, Yuuki-san follows suit with a butler’s pose! The screams from the audience won’t stop! Is this…fanservice?! Waaaah!’ Don’t ‘Waaah!’ me now. I’m guessing even this emotionless announcer has reached her limit. She’s now looking like a bitch in heat. I bet she’s gonna flap her legs up and down like a maiden in love the second she gets home to her bed. Personally, she’s a lot cuter than Big Sis. “Wataru, look! Look! Your sister…She’s so beautiful!” You’re the beautiful one here—And even though I was about to say that out loud, the way she pressed herself onto my arm, and the impact
of her shaking me around, was too much for me to handle. This is the best. I rarely get to see Natsukawa overcome with excitement. Shake me more, won’t you? That being said, knowing that the reason for this behavior is Big Sis of all people…I never would have imagined I would feel jealous of my sister. That woman…she did in one moment what I couldn’t achieve after several years. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if she would use this appearance to oppress the entire audience, using her gaze of an absolute ruler…Though that would probably only hype up the place more. “…Hm?” I glanced over at the side of the stage, spotting the previous models and participants all clapping in joy—Except one individual. A blondehaired girl had her gaze locked onto the ground, which made her stand out more. Oh yeah…my lady has always seen Big Sis as her rival in love, right? Of course, Big Sis has no such intentions…But being forced to see the man you love to be part of another woman’s reverse harem definitely does not feel good. For some reason, I couldn’t help but be curious about her, especially since she looked the exact opposite of when she was on the runway herself.
Chapter 4 Path To Destiny What was I even forced to witness just now? When the fashion show ended, this single thought filled my head, paired with a burning emotion inside of me. Even though my fair lady clearly won the fashion show, Big Sis and friends came in to swoop away all the attention. That’s how happy everyone was at this sudden event. And looking at Big Sis’s attitude, I would bet good money that the K4 set that up. “You should’ve been able to vote for the student council, too,” Ashida commented. “I feel like that wouldn’t have been fair at all…” Natsukawa disagreed. “Welp, it’s another brilliant memory for everyone involved.” The quality behind it was evident, and they even had the four hotties of the K4 participate, which completely blew the whole thing apart. So annoying, I swear. Looking at it from the perspective of a participant, it’s like the fashion show was just the introduction. An exhibition of sorts. Needless to say, everything was fine as long as the audience enjoyed it. “Wait, isn’t the closing ceremony soon? Should we just stay here?” “Whaaa, we still have some time left! Way too early!” “Because we have to tidy up everything.” “Pffft…Tidy up, huh?”
“Wh-What’s so funny, Kei?” “You sounded like a little kid told to clean up their toys by their papa.” “Th-This is just because I talk to Airi in this way!” Is that so? How adorable. Natsukawa was fuming in anger as Ashida tried to avoid her. Good thing we’re all motivated to clean up everything after the closing ceremony. Unlike yesterday, today was fairly calm and nothing too exhausting. Is this what it feels like to go on a date? Though, this must be a rare case. Either way, I had fun. “Ah, it’s Kei.” “Oh! Kawaicchi!” Another volleyball club member appeared at the gym hall. It seems like more and more people are gathering here. Ashida and the girl jumped up to share a high-five, which was an odd scenery to witness. Because Kawai is about the same height as me. “…Guess we got Ashida stolen from us.” “D-Doesn’t matter…” “She’s weird when it comes to handsome girls, after all. Like Shinomiya-senpai.” Seeming somewhat dejected, Natsukawa trotted over toward me. I guess she must have gotten hurt much more than she’d like to admit. She’s bewildered at this. But I get it. Somewhat. She then proceeded to sit down behind the chair I inhabited. “Sure is different from the cultural festival we’re used to in middle school.” “Yeah…But that means it’s more work, too.”
“What did we even do during middle school?” “I haven’t forgotten. A certain boy was bored and dragged me to the festival.” “Oh, I don’t quite remember…” “I swear…” But hearing it from Natsukawa, faint memories from deep within my psyche resurfaced. But, I don’t want to remember…and I don’t have much to remember, either. It’s all nothing but regret. Nothing that I would cherish remembering. I simply was weakened by love and acted like a madman because of the passion inside of me. That’s why I’ll just keep this locked away in my chest. But, I’m impressed with myself that I could actually sit in front of Natsukawa right now after everything that happened. “…Did you have fun?” I couldn’t help but ask Natsukawa. The fact I asked that blatantly showed my lack of confidence. But as a boy, it’s impossible for me not to be curious about how the girl I like feels. Though, if she were to say ‘It was boring,’ I might actually give up on 3D entirely. “…I did.” “!” I completely let down my guard. This must be some punishment. Because when I looked over, I saw Natsukawa dropping her gaze, as she showed a gentle smile. I had forgotten just how much of a beauty she was. I had accepted this as a reality, so it slipped out of my mind. “…” “?! Wh-What? Why are you…staring at me like that?”
Even though I got busted, this charm of hers forced me to keep looking. Something forced me to keep looking, even as I wanted to avert my gaze. Is this what a shonen protagonist feels, as he desperately tries to fight against the control the villain has over him? Only after Natsukawa realized did I manage to tear my gaze away, frantically trying to change the topic. “S-Still, was pretty good this year…Well, excluding the final part.” “Why are you so fixated on that? I think your sister looked great in a wedding dress.” “You just don’t get it…Seeing someone from your family appear in public, looking like that.” “But she was beautiful.” Ugh…I’m losing here. That final appearance from Big Sis was just too impactful. I bet I’m going to have a nightmare about that later. Don’t think I could even look Big Sis in the eyes. And this evil presence of hers that can ruin my sweet moment with Natsukawa is something else. More than anything, I hate the fact this whole event will properly overwrite my precious memories with Natsukawa today. If I don’t go through everything that’s happened today later, I will only be able to remember that hell. “Man…if only there could have been someone else on stage.” “Geez, stop complaining about that.” “I guess so…” What if it was Shinomiya-senpai? I know it may sound rude, but I think she’s past her prime by now. That being said, a wedding dress like that may very well have changed my mind entirely. Then again, if I had to pick someone…
“…I’d rather have seen you in a wedding dress.” “…?!” I looked up at the empty stage as my thoughts raced on ahead. All I could see was a slightly more mature Natsukawa, walking down the runway in a wedding dress, as a polite and handsome young man was holding her hand. Supposedly, marriage is the turning point of a human being’s life, as well as the final goal. So, if I were to be able to witness that kind of scenery, I might be able to finally get over my feelings for her and look for a new love. But in the end, my expectations got the better of me, and I asked the same question as Ashida did earlier. “Not gonna participate next year?” “N-No…Of course not!” “You don’t have to deny it so forcefully…” “It’s because you said something weird like that!” “Huh?” What did I say again? But before I could question myself, right as Ashida and her friends were hitting it off, an announcement played over the school broadcast. But of course, there was no after-festival to finish off the festivities, but instead, we went right to cleaning up everything. Well, our modern world wouldn’t allow a school to let its students work until late into the night. Plus, the majority of people would probably head off to karaoke or wherever once they’re done cleaning. “You better join us, Sajou.” “Yeah, yeah.”
After the special riddle tournament we held, and the success it had, it was definitely to be expected that we’d celebrate it, and I was invited, too. And the nearby karaoke boxes know that we’ll be coming. Just you wait, that microphone will be mine. “Welp…Still, that Sasaki…” “Hm? Ah…” I followed Yamazaki’s gaze, spotting a girl from the tea ceremony club walking down the hallway with a straight back. That Yamato Nadeshiko—Saitou-san. I wonder how she feels on the inside. I could almost see her expression. I bet there must have been some development between her and Sasaki. I wonder what would happen if I came clean and said I gave Sasaki a push? As for said Sasaki in question, he had to remain in the gym hall with Natsukawa because of their committee work. I bet he had no idea he’d be making so much romantic progress during this particular festival. But I swear, he had me sweating buckets when he said he was sorta interested in Natsukawa. I still don’t really know how to feel about telling him to go ahead while having these thoughts on the inside. “Oh, well.” “Right.” Of course, this isn’t good at all. Surely, Shirai-san and Okamocchan must have had some level of affection for Sasaki, just like Saitou-san. Surely, there’s going to be some awkward trouble waiting ahead. But, this isn’t something I should be thinking about right after the festival ended. I should bask in the lingering excitement of a joyful event, and forget about anything that will only be relevant down the line. “Oh? …Argh.”
I could feel my pocket vibrate. Taking out my phone, I checked my lock screen and saw that I had a message from “Yuuki-paisen.” To think the student council president himself contacted me. I’d rather not meet him, to be honest. ‘Come to the room next to the stage.’ “…” Next…to the stage? Is he talking about the mysterious space that’s next to the upper stage? So I’m supposed to come back there? I have a really bad feeling about this… “Sorry, I got something to do at the gym hall.” “Gotcha.” Right about now, the work of cleaning up had yet to begin, as the people in the hallways were still excited. While feeling regret that I couldn’t mix in there, I just pointed my regret and hostility at a certain hottie who called me over. * I mean…I did send him all my hostility, but this is… “…” “…” The small room reminded me of an isolated storage shed that hadn’t been aired out for months. All the objects inside had been just shoved to the side of the room, as the lightbulb hung down from the ceiling, shaking left and right. Several dressers were stuffed into the open space, as lights of voice actors stood around like creating a mirror. I guess this is what the room of an unsuccessful celebrity looks
like. However, what greeted me first wasn’t some voice actress or a celebrity. “…You okay?” “…” The small room was only the size of about 10 square meters, harboring the four hotties. Their clothes were all scattered around the floor, and only the faint breathing of lifeforms squirming on the floor could be heard. In the center of these worms was Big Sis, sitting on a pipe chair, still wearing a wedding dress while looking like a boxer that had just gone through the fight of her life. I guess this whole thing must have inflicted some major damage on her psyche. And as if that whole ordeal during the fashion show wasn’t shocking enough for my poor little heart, Big Sis now looked like a yankee in a single manga panel, and I am once again lost on how I should feel. This is the calm after the storm. The bodies scattered on the ground created a cruel and surreal scene. And I dare say, I think I’d make a good comedian for speaking out to the personified storm with “How are you?” I think nobody here has any common sense left.
“…Urgh…So you’re here… ”
“And you’re still alive?” “Just barely…” Yuuki-senpai coughed once as he looked up at me from the floor. To think his message would be nothing short of an SOS. At the very least, my bad premonition was right on the money. “Are you okay? Who messed you up like this? Just what even happened…?” “…!” I crouched down to ask the corpse below me this question, only for Yuuki-senpai’s face to distort in pain like he was experiencing some past trauma. He even bit his teeth to emphasize that. He supported his body with his right arm, as he stared at my feet. “Nothing…happened…” It seems like things aren’t as bad as I thought, eh? But of course, it wasn’t easy to imagine just what must have happened here. I can vividly see Big Sis swinging around her heels to stomp all these guys to death. And yet, the way he’s playing around with the real chaos shows how much he cares for Big Sis…Though, a bit too heavy for my taste. Not like I am one to talk. “It’s exactly as you can see…Wataru.” “Huh?” “We’re…done for.” Why the heck. “I don’t think I’ll be able to walk for a while.” But you asked for this, didn’t ya.
“Could I…ask something of you?” “Oh lord…” I couldn’t hide my disbelief at this depressing sight in front of me. And oddly enough, I felt no discontent at being treated like the delivery boy. It always annoyed me how hotties like them could afford to do whatever they pleased, but looking at them now…they’ve been through a lot. I can’t hate them even if I wanted to. “Where is Gou-senpai…?” “Ishiguro is out of the picture…” “And why is that?” “Kaede’s fist may reach him, too…” So nothing happened yet?! Yuuki-senpai turned around to face the ceiling and crawled to the wall to lean against it while explaining what happened. According to what he said, the surprise show of today and Big Sis’s counterattack were inside his range of expectations. After the initial grief, even after they got beat up, they had no problem doing all the work that was left over. What caught them by surprise was that a certain individual who they couldn’t categorize into any group suddenly wished to have a meeting with the student council’s vice president. Their best guess was that someone who assisted with this year’s cultural festival desired documents and papers, so they came to school to pick them up. “For this, the other party said that Kaede was fine to stop by on her own, but I had no intention of letting that slide. I at least wished to accompany her…but look at how we turned out. This isn’t on the level of just changing into our uniforms and we’re back to normal.” “Including Big Sis, you all look like fairytale princes, after all…”
Let alone the thick scent of menthol going up my nose. Even if they changed into their uniforms, they’d just seem like hosts from a host club, cosplaying with a student uniform. “We’re going to work hard and get ourselves fixed from here on out.” “Just going to work hard?” If you’re talking about working hard, I’d rather they rush to the student council office and print all the documents they need. It’s as simple as going over there and bringing it back. That’s fine and all, but maybe they could work a bit harder than that. “Well…I understand.” Even as I responded with that, Yuuki-senpai held his side as he gasped for air in pain, looking up at the ceiling. Just how much pain is he going through…? Weren’t you supposed to be a rich lad with too much pride in your pockets? Why are you trying to overcome this struggle and pain without complaining or giving up? Seriously, this is the kind of relationship the student council has. “…Wataru.” “Hm?” “…Sorry. Counting on you.” “Right…” Big Sis still was in her wedding dress, mumbling devoid of any strength. Since she went through that hell as the lead, she must have suffered even bigger damage. She didn’t even have the energy to raise her head. She did not like someone who could win over four hotties like this. Even more so since it’s my own older sister. Though I at least have to show sympathy for her, because she was set up to wear this.
“The key to the student council office…is…ugh…!” “Huh? Senpai?! Yuuki-senpai?!” I looked at the corner of the room with the bag he pointed at, when Yuki-senpai held his side and then dropped to the ground—dead. I guess he finally ran out of strength to keep himself awake. I don’t think he’ll be back up anytime soon. Are these people really okay? Either way, I went to grab the key and then left the room behind me. A lot of people were still present in the gym hall, busy cleaning up everything, but not a single soul paid any attention to me. I felt like a suspect running away from a murder scene they had stumbled into. * Although most students were still in the process of getting the school clean, the northern building’s third floor was barely used, so there was not a single soul working. In fact, I was the only person present, so the way I carefully unlocked the student council’s room made me look like a suspicious person. I may be from Kouetsu High, but I actually am more than unrelated to the student council. “Must make me super suspicious to just sneak around here…” I grumbled. “I’ll just get this and piss off…Now, where is Big Sis’s desk…” Her seat was diagonal to the right of Yuuki-senpai’s. To the right, she had Kai-senpai, facing Todoroki-senpai, with Hanawa-senpai by his side. But, unlike the regular table that I was expecting, it was a genuine white desk, with a few files and a closed laptop on it. I was about to sit down at the desk when I saw something on the shelf behind me. “A…coffee maker…?” And not just that. There was even a small fridge next to it, one you would see in a hotel. On top of that were bottles with coffee mill and
beans. Next to that, packed bags of cocoa. And as if that wasn’t enough, there was even an electric kettle with plastic cups. Hey now, this makes no sense…! They must have gotten this recently because I didn’t see anything like that during my help for the cultural festival. This was not here before…So when did they set up some drink bar like this?! “Oh hell nah, I’m taking some…Thanks for the treat though,” I mumbled. I put some cocoa powder into a plastic cup, pouring hot water into it. As expected, the small fridge had milk in it, too. Right now, I don’t really feel like drinking coffee, but since the other student council folks are still busy with their own work, I shouldn’t have an issue taking my time here. “Anyway…” I opened Big Sis’s laptop and turned it on. I did borrow it before, and since this isn’t her personal phone, she shouldn’t have an issue if I went to check for it. And she’s not the type of person to leave dangerous information easily available like this. “Where is it…” I controlled the mouse and looked for the folder in question. I have to say, this desktop sure is messy. Almost as if her own room were to be just as messy…Not like I would know since I haven’t seen the inside for years. “…?” As I continued my work, I heard the door of the student council office opening. I was wondering what that was about, as I peeked my head out of the mountain of documents to check. At the same time, the door closed again. At that moment, I could see a glimpse of a girl’s
skirt. Is this…Big Sis? She sure came back quickly. But that thought only remained for a moment, as a pair of legs arrived next to me. “Oh? My lady?” “…Wha…?” Up close, I could easily figure out who I was looking at. The blonde hair with waves was a dead giveaway, as the distinct scent of perfume drifted to my nose. My fair lady—Shinonome Claudine Marika—had already changed back into her regular uniform, as the radiance she showed during the fashion show had lessened. That being said, her facial features were as exquisite as before. She beat her seniors for nothing, that’s for sure. And since I was genuinely impressed, I should let her know. “You did great during the fashion show. Openly displaying your quirks, so to speak. I felt genuinely jealous of you, even though I’m not even a girl. I bet you look good in everything.” Maybe I would have some degree of handsomeness if one of my parents came from the West…I’d probably be more confident about myself, and maybe I’d still be chasing after Natsukawa right about now. Or maybe another girl entirely… “Oh yeah, you said you wanted to join the student council, right? Now, people know your face and name, so I bet you’ll have it pretty easy during the next election.” “…” “And if you wear the same outfit during the election, I’m sure people would…Hm? My lady?” Normally, she’d be laughing like a broken car machine and bragging about her achievements. Thinking that something was off, I stopped
working on the laptop and turned toward her. In doing so, I could see her staring at me in shock, her eyes wide open. “Hm? Oh yeah, why are you even here to begin…with…?” Something was off, so I asked her when a strong sense of discomfort crept up my back. More accurately, t he silver object with a sharp tip in her left hand was what gave me an eerie feeling. “…” “…” …Okay, pause. This is…not good, right? This is the bad kind of bad, isn’t it? The type where one wrong step is gonna cost me. The one where I shouldn’t act carelessly, yeah? Spotting this object in my lady’s hand, the gears in my head began turning at higher speeds. At the same time, alarm sounds rang out in my brain. I couldn’t even move properly. My body just feels as heavy as lead, not listening to my commands. “A-Ah…Um…” …Think. Failure is not an option. My lady might not look exceptionally strong in terms of her physical appearance, but that object in her hand—those sewing scissors can most definitely be used as a vicious weapon. There’s no guarantee I’ll get out of this unscathed even if I dare to try and steal them from her. I have to be calm and rational here. “…Wanna drink some cocoa?” “…!” I let out a faint laugh to ease the tension as I stood up with my cup in hand. However, that was my first mistake. Considering the tense situation we were in, I can’t blame her for getting scared when a man
taller than her suddenly gets up from his chair. And as her expression distorted in terror, it almost made me feel like I was the one who threatened her. “Ah…Aaaaah?!” “My lady!” With the weapon still in hand, she staggered backward. She must have done so without any intention because she ended up bumping into Kai-senpai’s desk, taking down the pen holder that stood on the right edge, and scattering the floor with its contents. She tried to get up immediately but failed to do so. When I realized, it was already too late. She had already blocked off the door. “Ah, hey—Ugh?!” “…Why.” I tried to run to her side to check if she was okay, but she pointed the sharp end of the sewing scissors directly at me. Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from shaking, even going so far as to support her quivering left hand with her right one. Unable to get any closer, we were forced to just observe the other person’s actions from a distance. The cocoa even fell to the ground during that entire ordeal, but this whole ordeal made it impossible for me to clean it up properly. Certainly, the situation had taken a dip for the worse. “Why…are you here…?” she asked “Because…” My lady looked at me like she was in a trance. And judging from that tone of hers, she must have trouble grasping the reason why I was here myself. Her shocked expression didn’t disappear, but so did the light from her eyes, as she dropped her gaze together with the hand holding the sewing scissors.
“Just what is…” I was about to ask her what was going on, but then I realized something. Big Sis was the only person who was called over, and despite the room being completely empty and devoid of people, my lady immediately headed over to Big Sis’s seat without hesitation. And then, she seemed utterly baffled to find me there— “No way…Were you here…for Big Sis …?” I had begun to lose my mind in this frantic chaos. I should have known right from the start who the target of her spearhead was. My lady is supposed to be the fianceé of our student council president Yuuki-senpai. And despite that, said Yuuki-senpai only had eyes for my dear older sister, not even his own fianceé. I’ve seen my lady get angry at Big Sis before, too. She surely holds no weak grudge, I bet. “…!” Realizing that someone close to me, not to mention a family member, might have gotten attacked in bad blood made my hair stand on edge. A type of fear I had never experienced before made the tip of my head feel frozen. “…Sis?” “Huh? Ah…!” My lady’s eyes shot open once more as she stared at me. Another mistake, but I realized too late that I had committed it. Although I never actively tried to hide it, I purposefully didn’t tell her about my last name “Sajou,” and that I am related to that woman. If she had known, my lady probably wouldn’t have asked me to vote for her in the fashion show. And even if I had attempted to divert her attention, she was simply staring at the nameplate on my chest, the one I was forced to wear today.
“…I see how it is.” “Th-This is…” The sewing scissors that had been previously lowered now shot up again, aiming at me—Or so I thought and panicked, but they instead dropped to the ground, rolling along the floor until they ended up at my feet. I stared at them in disbelief for a moment to then raise my head. She held something else in her hands. Something that was inside Kai-senpai’s pen holder. “Heh…hehe…Every single one of you…is making fun of me!” She screamed in pain and sadness, but I had no words to return. I couldn’t do a single thing and just stood frozen on the spot. “M-My lady…!” “And you do, too…!” “No…?!” A clicking sound came from her new weapon—a box cutter—as the sharp blade appeared from within. It went all the way up to the limit. And while looking at this sharp silver object, my lady grabbed the handle with both hands. “I’m…tired of it.” With quivering hands, she pointed the blade upward, as she stared at it. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion, right in the middle between determination and terror. If she had any hostility towards me, Sajou Kaede’s younger brother, then she definitely wouldn’t direct the blade in the direction she is right now. “My lady…!”
A few seconds later, I could fathom what was about to happen. Her hands were shaking, but she still pointed the cutter directly at her neck. The blade was slowly moving closer to her own flesh, as the fear in her eyes changed into sharpness, showing that she had lost all sanity. “…!” This is bad! This is really fucking bad! I can’t just keep watching in silence. Standing around like a bonsai tree won’t do a damn thing. I have to stop her. Should I jump at her to fight for the cutter?! No, that’ll only make her more desperate! But then…what? Should I try to convince her to stop? But, how?! In my head, the various paths open to me branched off to different futures, as my consciousness focused on the sewing scissors that had dropped to the ground. In that single moment, something went through my mind as I crouched down and grabbed it. “…!” The branches then stopped diverging, returning to a single path. However, the destined path was unstable, not allowing me to see the final result. And only after I had made my choice did I realize I could have turned around at any time—
Chapter 5 Result and Regret The first thing I felt was the frozen-cold sensation of metal. “…Wha…” I heard a dumbfounded voice straight ahead of me. It was just a bit more than a faint breath, but this surprise that stopped everything was the origin of the driving force that allowed me to continue. Because next—I felt intense heat like my body was on fire. And the sound of collision even drowned out the groan escaping my mouth. The hefty thumping inside my body reaching up to my ears again and again couldn’t be more unpleasant. Even the sense of accomplishment I felt and tried to maintain in my memories had long vanished, too. With a twist of irony, the scissors my lady had brought with her were now returned to her, the tip colored in a color I had anticipated already. “Huff…Huff…!” For a moment, I could hear the sound of bubbles bursting out. The dry carpet on the ground quietly sucked up the liquid it was fed until eventually the sound of water dripping could be heard. To not dirty the floor any more than this, I proceeded to grab my limp arm, just dangling in the air, with my open right hand, tightly gripping it. After gasping for air for a few seconds, the initial sharp pain changed into continuous dull pain, allowing me to finally speak words again. But first, I had to swallow the spit that had gathered in my mouth. “Dang…This hurts a lot more…than I thought…!”
A severe stimulus from the inside that I had never felt before. I was foolish enough to believe I could actually bear this pain just because I got serious. However, no matter the pain, no matter the suffering, I couldn’t waste these precious seconds that I had offered myself with this ridiculous deed. “…So, my lady…” “Eeek…?!” — You don’t want to end up like this, do you? I conveyed this notion with just a gaze, as the cutter fell from her hands. The impact led the blade to shatter and scatter in the room. I’m guessing this must have come as a shock to her, as she just slid to the ground next to the door, her face as pale as snow. But to me, that spelled victory. “…Ugh…!” Oddly enough, I felt no anger or sadness. Even deeper in my consciousness than the desire to scream in pain and agony was…an odd sense of tranquility that eventually rose to the surface—What the hell am I even doing…? I was utterly disgusted at myself. I knew I had to stop her as quickly as possible, but who in their right mind would open up a hole in their own hand just to convey a point? Who was the crazy one in that scenario? There must have been something else I could have done. And by the time the regret set in, my head could finally think somewhat clearly again. Looking at my hand dangling near the ground, I could see my precious iron leaving my body, albeit at a slower rate than before. I should do something about this first. I think…I had to put it higher than my own heart, right? I grabbed a bunch of tissues from a nearby shelf and pressed them onto my left hand’s palm and the back. I didn’t dare to see if I had
pierced through. But as the tissues began to become drenched in red liquid, I was forced to add more layers—all the while dealing with the pain. “Ah…ah…” I did all I could to suppress the urge to scream in pain, when I heard a weeping voice, almost like it was speaking as my proxy. “Aaaaaah…” “…”
Witnessing someone who was even more bewildered than yourself sure helps to calm you down. Or maybe this entire chaotic situation
miraculously linked up our pain. I wouldn’t know. “…!” Looking at my left hand like she had suffered this injury herself, my lady’s cheeks began to turn wet with tears. What she planned to do… how she felt right now, I could only imagine it. But if she could show such a kind expression now, then these dark feelings that led her to carry these scissors here must have been overwhelming to her. “Y’know…I wasn’t lying or anything.” “…Huh…?” “During the fashion show, I would have voted for you even if you hadn’t asked me to…Because you deserved it more than anybody else.” “…!” I didn’t say all this to cheer her up. I just wanted to clear up this misconception she had. Her acting as the victim and all that is something she can do all she wants, but I couldn’t stand the idea that she made up her mind about how I feel. And more than anything, I couldn’t just keep silent and risk that she would dare attempt something like that again. Sure, we never really had anything to do with each other, and I don’t know how much effort or planning she put into all that…but looking at her in her uniform right this moment, I can tell that this hard work allowed her to become the shining star of the fashion show. I’m not all too familiar with makeup or clothes, but you surely wouldn’t be able to achieve that level of quality on your first attempt. She must have gone through trial and error an immense amount of times. “But…When I said I was jealous that you’d look good in everything… that ain’t quite right.” “Huh…?”
“I mean, I bet you’d nail it just as much, but…” Each time I sucked up the incoming pain, I choked on my breath, my tone growing fiercer. I wanted to give her a few kind words of support, but even more than that, my own feelings won the upper hand. She could do it because she is wealthy. She could do it because she possessed these looks. Her status made it possible for her. She was confident, too. She was proud of herself…But that’s also why misfortune easily crushed all of that. It changed into hatred to the point her reasoning was thrown to the side. She had no remorse for trying to hurt herself. Not like I am one to talk in that regard. But…the reason I can’t fully sympathize with her is that we live in different worlds. I know that something like that is possible…and I am like this right now because I have fully embraced that fact when it comes to how I was before. And that’s exactly why— “ …Do you really need to look good while crying, too? Screw off.” “Ah…” I had no choice or room to act all friendly with her. On the contrary, I was just throwing my complaints at her. I did try to smile while doing so, but I have no clue if that worked out as planned. On the backhand of trying to keep up appearances, I could feel the blood rushing to my head. She’s like a tragic heroine, and it pisses me off. How can she look this good even while crying? I’m trying hard not to break face here, and she’s showing off her beauty with those pearls running down her cheeks. “So if you don’t like this reality, would you mind wiping away those tears?” “…!” She’s got the gall to act like she’s empty. Like she has nothing. Never will have anything. She’s blessed enough to be born into her current environment, blessed with her perfect appearance, and not even a few
hours ago, she was celebrated by a massive crowd of people…Yet now she’s sitting there on the ground, acting like she’d lost her friends, her family, and her whole fortune. “If you don’t like this result, why don’t you get up and do something about it?” Why did she barge in here with a weapon? It’s because, somewhere deep within her chest, she’s got this burning pride that wouldn’t lose to anybody, no? If that’s the case, then I want her to get mad at me for saying this pathetic appearance looks good on her. I want her to be the rich lady that always acts like she’s better than the rest. “…And if you can’t do that…then I wouldn’t mind lending you a hand.” “…?!” Her fragile gaze met mine, as I threatened her with a glare, telling her to get up. Because of this pain, I’m seriously starting to lose it. Being given a helping hand by the same person who has this injury to deal with…crosses sarcasm and reaches a territory of nothing but cynical snide remarks. I guess my nasty personality can never change, huh? But at the very least, the crude blood I share with Big Sis is helping me out a lot. This belief of “Where there’s a will, there is a way” that is coming back to my head now that I can finally think again…It resonates with me. This pushy hot-bloodedness creates a self-indulgent and refreshing feeling allowing me to even momentarily forget about the pain in my hand. The tissues I pressed on the wound still weren’t enough, as the blood eventually entered my sleeve, sticking to my skin and shirt. Even as the pain was slowly subsiding, I’m feeling just as disgusted as when I’m forced to wear my uniform despite being sweaty as hell. How long will this hell continue? I can’t even leave like this. But…I really should be doing something about this injury soon, or else…
“Ugh…Hic…” “…Huh?” However, right as I felt the gravity and danger of this situation, I saw the weeping rich lady in front of me stretch out her shaking hand. This result being anything but what I had expected, I was utterly dumbfounded and bewildered, even reaching the point I momentarily forgot all about my pain. Now wait a second, I did technically offer to help her get up…but is she really making me, the injured clown, do that? For real? Let alone living in different worlds, we’re like from different universes. I mean, I’m still gonna help her, though… “Urk…!” I firmly grasped her small hand with my right one, pulling her up by mainly relying on my own strength. Knowing that she didn’t do any effort to get up herself, it crossed the level of making me feel annoyed, and I was about to feel genuine killing intent. Thanks to this whole ordeal, my left hand is hurting even more. I’m starting to feel like Vegeta here, for crying out loud. But once she stood on her own two legs, she managed to keep her hold. “Hey…” “…!” “Wha…Huh?” Even after she stood up, she wouldn’t let go of my right hand. Since my left hand was completely useless right about now, I could only wait…when she suddenly approached me. She finally let go of my right hand only to press both of hers onto my chest. The pressure she put on me left me unable to make any progress. Because of this sudden… bullying that was put on me, I was not sure how to react. How…is she so strong…!
“…Could you let me go to the infirmary?” I said with probably my deepest voice ever. * The path to the infirmary felt much longer than usual. The left hand I carried in front of my chest felt hot…pumping with pain. The people I passed on the way all gave me dubious looks. I don’t know if I built up this wall between others because I figured the infirmary would be my saving grace, but I didn’t even expect another person to come and help me. I was much more scared of some ruckus being the cause of my injury getting worse. “Ugh…” The sliding door in front of me was my final boss. Normally, a pinkie alone would allow me to push it open, but now it felt like I was dealing with a tightly-sealed iron door. Contrary to my left hand soaked in blood, the sweat that ran off my chin made it feel like not everything was lost. “E-Excuse me…!” Upon entering, I put my strength into my chest to call out, as a cheerful “Yeees?” came from deeper within. At the very least, this wasn’t the voice of our school nurse, experiencing the prime of her life. Followed by a few quick footsteps, a single female student appeared from the back left, where all the beds were located. “Who is it?” “…” The person I was greeted with reminded me of those gals who pretended to be prim and proper, running off to skip class in the infirmary. But, she didn’t look to be in the same year as me. She had long black hair, styled in waves, paired with a short skirt, and a colorful
scrunchie around her wrist. Her uniform was also worn out of shape. I find it really hard to believe that she was here for health reasons. And although they did look different, I got this same feeling from Big Sis before. An average student who wanted to graduate from being a gal but quite couldn’t. “Oh, it’s a boy.” I may be, yes, but shouldn’t my bloody hand catch your attention first? Spotting me, the gal in her final stage gave me an emotionless look. I thought of giving her a piece of my mind, but nothing good would come from making enemies here. Plus, the color of her loose necktie was green, telling me that she was a third-year student, just like Big Sis. In that sense, I probably shouldn’t get on her bad side while I’m in this pinch. “Excuse me, but…where’s the nurse? Where’s Shindou-sensei?” “Reiko-chan? She’s out right now.” “Ugh…” It’s…It’s over…I could feel the remnants of my heart shatter, as I sat down on one of the long sofas next to the entrance door. Unable to keep my arm above my chest because of my dwindling strength, I was forced to place it on my lap. With its position lowered, I could feel the warmth on its way back to me. Still…Shindou-sensei’s first name is Reiko, huh? “Wait, hold on! What happened to your hand?!” The girl must have seen that I had given up on everything, as her eyes shot open and she panicked. I don’t even have the energy to feel annoyed at that…Still, this is what despair feels like? I could practically feel my body losing strength, the pain growing stronger. “I’ll go look for Reiko-chan!”
“…” She must have realized that this injury is no laughing matter. She quickly dashed out of the room without a care about how she looked or was perceived. On her way out, her black hair and skirt caught my attention, but this situation wouldn’t permit me from feeling anything beyond that. “…Ah…” “…” Then, someone’s legs appeared in front of me. Raising my head, I saw that it was my lady, awkwardly embracing her body with one arm. Seems like she was following me every step of the way here. But, I didn’t have any interest in appreciating her beauty, so I just lowered my head and looked at the ground in silence. I don’t have time to care for her. She might as well just go home. “…” “…” The silence led me to focus on my left hand again. But I didn’t want that to happen, so I instead directed my attention to the faint noises in the distance. I didn’t know how my bleeding was doing, but at the very least, my regular sweat stopped. “…I brought her!” “! Argh…” A few minutes later, the senior from early came storming inside. So fast…I guess I didn’t give her much credit. A glimmer of hope filled my heart, but this whole screaming only made the pain in my hand stronger.
“I heard we’ve got someone injured…Wait, you are…” “Y-Yes…Hello there.” Behind the senior appeared a woman—the nurse. She seemed to be out of breath, telling me she actually rushed here. And the white robe spoke for itself. I felt bad for all the trouble I caused her during the first term on that rainy day I fainted. Her remembering my face was a small salvation, at least. “Sajou-kun, what’s with that hand?” “…Huh? ‘Sajou’…?” “Anyway, come with me.” The nurse gently pushed my back, guiding me to a round seat in front of an examination table. That senior seemed to be surprised to hear my name, but I’m guessing that’s simply because I’m that former yankee’s younger brother. That reminds me…I wonder what Big Sis’s other classmates think about her. Sindou-sensei sat down facing me, examining my hand. “Can I take off the tissues?” “Huh?” “I’ll take them off.” “O-Okay…” She must have seen my terrified face, because she immediately took action. She grabbed a pair of scissors to cut up the tissues I had wrapped around my left hand. I gasped in fear, and another person standing behind me did the same. This is the one sight I really would rather not see. “Eeek…”
The lump of red tissues was cut apart by the entering scissors. Wet and drenched, it was easy to cut through, as it fell from the back of my hand. At that point, I was scared shitless. Then, she ripped off the tissues from the inside of my palm, making me feel like it was glued to my skin. At that moment, the pain was completely overwhelmed by the fear I felt. “This is…” “…!” Shindou-sensei narrowed her eyes. And seeing the state of my left hand, I had to swallow my saliva. Because the red blood had begun changing to black, it was hard to immediately figure out the severity of the injury. However, seeing that the center of my hand, the part you would call the “surface”, had completely lost its shape, it was all too clear—Yeah, this one’s a big baddie. “What about the back of your hand?” “…” “I see.” She responded without even waiting for my answer. I sure didn’t dare to check what the back looked like, and she must have realized that. “Either way, we don’t have the equipment to deal with this. The bleeding may have stopped, but we must head to the hospital right away.” “O-Okay.” Looking at that changed facial color of hers, paired with her strong tone, I could only nod along. She put a fresh bandage around my left
hand and told me to press down on it while keeping it on the table. Once again, I listened without asking questions. “However, it’s already pretty late…The outpatient ward has closed already, so we can only rely on an ambulance…But for that, I have to discuss this with the school.” “Ack…” Realizing that this would blow up far more than I had anticipated, the cold sweat came back. With an ambulance, the whole school will know that something went down because of the sirens. Surely, they’ll be out there to watch me. And although I’d love to avoid that, I guess that won’t work. “E-Excuse me! Then I shall…!” Right as depression crept up on me, my lady spoke up. I looked over at her, slightly anticipating if she could maybe get me out of this mess. And unlike when she held the cutter, her gaze now held a certain level of determination. “And who are you?” “I-I am his fellow first-year student Shinonome Claudine Marika! I am a student belonging to the West side!” “So, what? You mean to tell me your connections would make things easier?” “Y-Yes!” “Saying that it would be quicker?” “Yes! I don’t need permission from the school, so it’ll be faster!” “…Hmm…Is that so…”
It seems like there’s no more reason to call an ambulance. Thank god…Well, the injury on my hand hasn’t magically disappeared, but being able to get out of here without catching any attention is better than nothing. I shall rely on my lady’s graciousness and… “…Hold on a second.” “Wh-What do you want?” But right as I sighed in relief with my right hand on my chest, another shadow appeared to spoil our plans. I had completely forgotten about that other senior still being with us. And all her nonchalant demeanor from before was gone, as she spoke with a calm, almost cold voice. “I haven’t heard the details, but you’re not gonna hurt this little Sajou-kun, are you?” She asked with a genuinely serious expression, even sounding hostile towards my lady. The glare she directed at her my lady reminded me of Big Sis’s, creating a chilly atmosphere. “What are you saying?!” “Oh, I’m sorry…But in this day and age, you simply can’t trust the ‘West side,’ see.” “…!” My lady stepped backward, unable to find any words to respond with. I remembered that that senior is a third-year student—Until last year, Kouetsu High was split into the east and west side. The east being from class A to C, with the west side being D to F. Since the current student council has students from both sides, this whole conflict never particularly felt real to me. Were they always fighting like this back in the day…?
Though, whether or not my lady is gonna use this against me or not, like that senior suggested, I am the one who caused this injury in the first place. I won’t say she’s unrelated to this whole mess, but I enacted this. I didn’t do it to place such a burden on her. If I can avoid any major trouble, then I should rather be thankful for her offer. But right as I wanted to take my lady’s side, Shindou-sensei joined the conversation. “Stop that, Onitsuka-san. Is that something you should be discussing with a first-year student like her? You are part of the health committee. What should be prioritized?” “Ugh…I’m sorry.” With that, the argument was sealed. Still…the gal-ish senior being part of the health committee? I thought she was just skipping out on work while hiding here…But I guess she’s a lot more genuine and caring than I gave her credit for. Though, it sure feels like she’s still one step away from making a full recovery from being a gal. A bit different from Big Sis…I just hope she lets us be now. “Shinonome-san, I shall rely on those connections of yours. Please get everything settled and then tell me the name of the hospital, as well as the number of the plastic surgery department.” “I-I understand! I will send for a car immediately!” “When will it be here?” “15 minutes, at most!” “That’s quite quick. Then I will contact his homeroom teacher Ootsuki-senpai. Onitsuka-san, could you go to class 1-C and grab his belongings?” “Yeah, got it!”
“That is ‘Yes’ for you.” “Yes! I understand!” Things went a lot more smoothly than I initially anticipated. And I’ll be making it out of here without an ambulance. I might even end up in the hospital in around thirty minutes. This must be the benefit of being a rich lady. I’m quite thankful…Should I be? I can’t even tell anymore. And I don’t know how I feel about having that senior running around for my sake, even if she’s a member of the health committee. At the very least, it was better than leaving me, an injured person, all alone. So, I did my part and pressed down on the wound—while thinking about how I could even begin to explain this injury.
Chapter 6 Responsibility and Anger The treatment of my left hand finished rather quickly. It was thoroughly washed and disinfected, with a salve and see-through wrapping put around it, with a bandage to finish it off. According to the examination, the scissors did not pierce my whole left hand, as the structure on the back of my hand acted as a shield. In terms of a thorough physical, I was lucky that it was just a pair of sewing scissors and not a sharp knife, meaning that my nerves were unharmed. With the right treatment and care, it shouldn’t leave any lingering problems. To the doctor, I explained that I simply happened to land on sharp equipment while doing my work at school. That excuse should probably work when the school asks, too. “E-Excuse me…” “…” I was laying in the regular hospital room’s cheap bed, receiving a drip feed, when my lady spoke up. She was sitting next to the bed on a round chair. Compared to the time she drove with me to the hospital, she looks like she has calmed down a whole lot. However, she didn’t continue after that. On the contrary, we didn’t even speak all the way here. And I’m not ignoring her or anything, I just don’t know how to interact with her. Considering how this injury even came into existence, maybe I shouldn’t be talking to her at all. However, logic and personal feelings are always at odds, and my feelings didn’t want to be harsh. Rather, I was thankful she allowed me to get out of school without causing any major trouble. So with that thought in mind, I decided to backtrack.
“…Thanks for your help. Not only did you help me stay inconspicuous, you even paid for the treatment…” “Please, don’t mind it.” The butler of advanced age standing behind my lady responded to my gratitude calmly and peacefully. Is this what you would call a geezer? I have to say, I’m a bit disappointed he’s not looking like a genuine butler and more like a bodyguard. The car was also more like a taxi and not like those private Benz cars you’d expect. Man, that would have been my only grace. “…Sajou-sama.” “Ah, yes?” Sajou-sama…Since that was a first for me, I couldn’t help but admire it. I responded in respect, as the geezer looked down at me with a humble expression. “It seems as if you were kind enough to not speak the truth during the previous medical investigation…” “Ah…Well…” “…!” During the actual physical, neither of them tagged along, leaving me behind with the doctor. There, I was expected to explain exactly how this injury happened, but I’m guessing this geezer was told later, which is why he thanked me for being kind enough. Looking at my lady and her staring just at the ground, I figure she must have come clean to her butler. Understandably so. After all, why would she go out of her way to take me to the hospital and pay for the bill when I allegedly got this injury because I fell over? And I’m guessing he’s saying this now so that she wouldn’t feel bad.
“And I know I might be asking for a lot with this, but would it be possible in any way that you could keep this a secret?” Seeing a man probably triple my age so politely while practically begging me left me unable to respond. This really isn’t something some regular dude from high school would be experiencing. Maybe he thinks I’m gonna snap a picture and upload it on social media with the description along the lines of “Got stabbed, lul.” Maybe not. “I don’t mind…” Even if he hadn’t asked me, I would take this whole ordeal with me to the grave. No clue how my lady feels, but I definitely see this as a part of my dark past. Because…I was the one who caused this. I don’t think I could laugh about this even in twenty years. The bigger problem was simply how I could explain such a grave injury without coming clean about it. * It’s been roughly an hour since we made it to the hospital. I figure most folks at school are done cleaning up, slowly making their way home. Reception has closed, too, so not many people entered and left the building. I feel like helping on the committee had me staying at school for much longer than usual. So much so that I could question if I was really in the go-home club. It sure does not feel that way. “I’ll put the medicine away.” “Ah, yes…” My lady was evidently dispirited, as she reached for my right hand. She handed me a plastic bag with medicine inside. She opened the zipper of my bag, which she carried in both her hands, carefully placing the plastic bag inside. That being said, she seemed weaker than usual, as well as meeker, because this entire situation was entirely
unbelievable. I carefully chose my next words, but the geezer got the jump on me. “Sajou-sama, let me drive you home.” “Oh, su—” “There is no need for that!” “Huh?” I was about to agree to this proposition, but a strong voice, brimming with pressure, interrupted me and the geezer. I looked toward the source of the voice in shock, where I saw Big Sis, gasping for air with both hands on her hips. I struggled to swallow this sudden situation when I saw other people behind her—Yuuki-senpai, the galish senior from the infirmary…I think her name was Onitsuka-senpai? She smiled and waved at me, but I genuinely struggled to understand why she was smiling in this situation. “Tamao, hold my bag.” “Okemaru!” Oh no, I don’t like that look. My instincts were screaming fear and terror, as Big Sis grabbed the geezer’s shoulder, pushing him aside. I saw her lifting her right elbow, so I used my left hand to put it between Big Sis and my lady’s face. “Stop it.” “…Why.” My quick guard seemed to have been successful, as Big Sis stopped her fist from going further. If she had fired that off beyond the point of no return, not even she would be able to stop it. I almost ended up in the ICU there. The geezer stood behind Big Sis, probably intending to