『』『』『』『』『』
Step. Step. Step.
A lone footstep echoed down the hall as a single student walked forward, carrying a weight on her shoulders heavy enough to crush her entirely.
Horikita walked toward the nurse's office, feeling battered and bruised after Kumagawa's verbal beatdown. He usually acted like a carefree idiot, so she had never imagined that someone like him, someone she considered far beneath her in every way, would speak to her like that.
She had been so shocked that she couldn't give a single proper answer.
It was the first time she had felt this way since her brother.
She felt that even if Ayanokouji had been the one to verbally beat her down, she wouldn't have felt this way.
Her mind was slipping.
Her mental strength was crumbling.
And her heart...
Her heart felt like it was going to break.
"Brother...."
Feeling lost at her own inability, Horikita continued down the hall toward the nurse's office. If she wanted to chase after Sudou, she had to deal with her leg first, which still wouldn't move the way she wanted.
Honestly, she didn't want to go to the infirmary, especially during the event. Going there usually meant giving up on participating, mostly because of the somewhat famous eccentric nurse. It wasn't an official rule, but many students who went there instead of the outdoor medical tent ended up resigning. Because of that, it was treated that way by the students.
For Horikita, who didn't want to be seen as someone who gave up, heading to the infirmary was something she hesitated to do. But she had no choice.
When she entered, she noticed someone else was already there. Out of the three beds, one was covered by a curtain, hiding whoever was resting there.
"You too...?" The nurse looked at Horikita with a slightly bothered expression.
It wasn't exactly the kind of look a school staff member should give, especially to an injured student. But since the nurse was known for being a bit eccentric, Horikita didn't mind it too much.
After showing her sprained leg, Horikita asked, "How does it look, sensei?"
During the short break before lunch, a first aid staff member had taped her leg, but it barely helped. She had also forced herself through the next event, which may have made things worse.
"You've been pushing yourself, haven't you?"
"....."
"I've already said this to several students today, but it'll be difficult for you to participate in any more events."
As expected...
The nurse diagnosed it as a mild sprain, but warned that it could become serious if she kept pushing herself. Horikita could already feel it getting worse. Even walking was becoming difficult. If she forced herself, she could probably still move, but not properly.
"Do you plan to take part in the recommended-participant events?"
"...I was planning to, but I've changed my mind. If I participate like this, I'll only drag my class down," Horikita said, looking at her leg with a conflicted expression.
"That's a wise decision, Horikita," the nurse said.
"Huh? How do you know my name?"
For once, Horikita hadn't mentioned her name to the nurse, and since enrolling in this school, she had never come near this place until today. In fact, this was her first time meeting the infirmary nurse face to face, so it was strange for the nurse to know her name.
"Don't look at me like that. I just figured it out since you resemble our student council president. I guess you could say it's a habit of mine... or maybe it runs in my blood?" She tilted her head slightly. "In any case, I know you because of your brother. And you're also in the same class as that 'idiot,' so it wasn't hard to guess."
"Idiot...?"
She had a feeling she knew who that referred to.
"Anyway, since you said you won't participate in the recommended events, I'll let you leave on the condition that you don't push yourself," the nurse said as she wrapped Horikita's leg with fresh bandages.
"What happens if I stubbornly keep participating...?"
"I'll force you to resign and strap you to one of the beds. Hahaha."
"....."
She really was eccentric.
Once Horikita had received treatment, she thanked the nurse and left the infirmary. She headed toward the main entrance to return to the field. As she passed a window, she caught sight of her own reflection. Feeling pathetic, she bit her lip in frustration.
She had suspected Kinoshita of tripping her after she called out her name on the field, but in the end, she could only blame herself for falling and getting injured. There was no changing that.
She tried her best to remain calm and composed so that no one would notice the pain on her face.
When she was just about to leave through the main entrance and go back outside, Kushida ran up to her in a panic from the opposite direction.
Just as she was about to leave through the main entrance, Kushida came running toward her from the opposite direction.
"Huff, huff... I'm so glad I found you, Horikita-san. I need to talk to you about something," she said between heavy breaths.
"What is it? I have something I need to take care of, so make it quick."
"Okay... but this isn't a good place to talk. Sorry. Could you come with me? Things are going to get difficult."
"Can't you explain it here? I'll decide after hearing how serious it is."
Kushida glanced around, then slowly leaned in and whispered into her ear.
"It sounds like Kinoshita-san suffered a serious injury. It's bad enough that she can't even stand up. So... that's why... Kinoshita-san wants to talk to you, Horikita-san."
"Talk?"
"Yeah. You know... that kind of talk."
Horikita's expression stiffened as she quickly understood what Kushida meant. It did seem like Kinoshita had been injured, but to think things had gone this far, and at such a bad time...
"Where is she?"
"This way."
Kushida led her back to the nurse's office.
When she returned to the infirmary, Chabashira-sensei was already there.
"Good. I was just saying that you'd barely missed Horikita," the nurse said.
"I had Kushida bring her. Fortunately, she made it in time." She spoke with a somewhat grim expression. That alone told Horikita that the situation wasn't good.
"What in the world is going on?" Horikita asked.
From behind the closed curtain she had noticed earlier, she could hear someone quietly sobbing. Chabashira-sensei pulled the curtain aside for a moment, revealing Kinoshita lying on the bed. Then she closed it again and gestured for Horikita to follow her into the hallway.
"..."
"Kinoshita fell on the obstacle course this morning. Do you remember that?"
"...Of course. She bumped into me," Horikita replied.
That first incident had thrown a wrench into her plans for the sports festival.
"Well, Kinoshita says that you deliberately knocked her down, Horikita."
For a moment, Horikita couldn't understand what she was hearing—or rather, she couldn't believe what she was saying..
"That's not true at all. It was an accident. If anything, she—"
『Oh, what are you two doing over there? 』
Her explanation was immediately cut off by Kumagawa's sudden and unnecessary arrival.
『You know it's against the rules to talk in the hallway, right? Stop it already. You're disturbing the peace of this school. 』
"There's no such rule. Not since I became a teacher here," Chabashira shot back immediately.
『!?』
Kumagawa froze in shock.
『How could this school not have such a revolutionary rule... 』He muttered with a strangely serious expression.
Before the conversation could become convoluted and veer too far off track, Chabashira quickly changed the topic.
"That aside, what are you doing here? Don't you have an event to participate in?" she asked.
『Hmm? Well, you see, after getting hit by Sudou-kun, I had to come to the infirmary again. At this rate, I might just use my authority as vice president to make a private room here. Isn't that right, Chabashira-chan? 』
"Even the president doesn't have that kind of authority. And it's 'sensei,'" she said, lightly hitting the top of his head with her clipboard.
『Ow. 』
"More importantly, didn't you say you fell earlier? Now you're saying you were hit by Sudou? What do you mean by that?"
"...!?"
Horikita stiffened.
Even though she wasn't directly involved, she knew that Kushida, Hirata, and Ayanokouji had managed to make Kumagawa cooperate in covering for Sudou to prevent him from being disqualified for violence. But with that slip just now, Kumagawa had practically exposed the lie.
If Sudou were disqualified, it would cause serious problems later.
But contrary to her concern...
『Ahaha, don't tell me you'd fall for such an obvious lie? Well, of course you wouldn't. But being forced to go along with it for your student... that's something I can respect. So don't worry, Chabashira-chan. Even if your life gets ruined over a lie, I definitely won't leave you alone. 』
He smiled coolly.
Of course, there was nothing cool about that smile.
But what he said earlier was quite accurate.
And since she couldn't deny or confirm it, Chabashira chose the obvious move in this situation.
"...That's 'sensei,' for you."
『Ow. 』
She gave him one last chop on the head, then shoved him back into the infirmary.
『』『』『』『』『』
"You again..."
The moment Kumagawa was shoved into the infirmary by Chabashira, he came face to face with the nurse. Her expression looked even worse than when she was exhausted from her days as a medical student.
『Good grief, what's with that reaction? Shouldn't you be happy to see me?』
"And why would I think that?" the nurse replied, raising an eyebrow.
『Because I'm your most frequent customer? 』
"Don't act like this is some kind of convenience store you visit all the time!"
Out of everyone in this school, he somehow visited her the most. At first, back when the new students enrolled in April, she thought her workload would stay the same, relatively light. But then this 'thing' showed up for the first time, with an injury in the palm of his hand.
Other than her opinion of him being somewhat low, there wasn't really anything strange about it. Considering the nature of this school, there were bound to be one or two students with a few loose screws.
Then one day, he came back with a head injury.
After that, he returned again the next day.
And the day after.
And the day after.
For one whole week.
He treated this place like it was his personal space.
Her sanctuary in this school had been completely defiled by this 'thing.'
『Which is why you should be grateful to me. I'm the one making sure you aren't practically jobless, right? It's why people call me... the partron saint for the need. 』
"What patron saint? You're just giving me extra work I don't need by coming here every day for the past week, 'patron saint for the need.'" She poked his head. "If you have any conscience left, why don't you go be a patron saint for someone else?"
『Now, now, I appreciate the sentiment, but I have an image to maintain as the vice president of this prestigious school. Still... it does make me happy. Being openly spoiled by a bodacious beauty like you... I don't think I was ever treated this well, even back in middle school. 』
"..."
If she decided to go on the offensive here, the nurse felt it would leave a stain on her name and career if she went along with it. So instead, she pointed at the certain student in the room.
"You. The girlfriend."
"I'm not his girlfriend!"
Kushida, who had been sent to fetch Horikita, had been left behind in the infirmary when Chabashira took Horikita out into the hallway.
"What are you talking about? Aren't you close enough to be his girlfriend?" the nurse asked, tilting her head.
"I'm not..."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, I'll leave him to you. I'm going to watch the sports festival from there," she said, pointing toward a secluded corner of the room that had a clear view of the field. "Don't disturb me unless another student needs treatment."
Right after that, she pulled the cubicle curtains around herself from several sides, creating a small barrier so she could watch in peace.
『Eh, Kushida-chan? What are you doing here? There's also Ryuen-chan and Kinoshita-san. What's this? Are you currently betrayi— 』
Suddenly, Kushida grabbed Kumagawa's jaw. Her movement was quick and seemed soft, but the grip itself was aggresive and rough. The technique she used required careful control, appearing gentle on the outside while being violent to her victim.
"Kumagawa-kun, are your cheeks okay? You really shouldn't talk too much if you don't want your injuries to get worse later," she said in a sweet tone, even as she held him in place.
『Ah-ha-ha... I ahpwehsyeh yoo conshehn, Koosheedah chahn, buh ahren yoo behing a lee-uhl too ruhff on meh? 』
(Translation: Ahaha... I appreciate your concern, Kushida-chan, but aren't you being a little too rough on me?)
"Hmmm...."
Slowly, Kushida released her grip, though her glare remained fixed on him.
It wasn't a secret to him that she was working with Ryuen against her own class. But it wasn't something that should be carelessly exposed, especially with Kinoshita lying on the bed nearby.
After all, even Class B didn't know that Kushida had betrayed her own class and was working with Ryuen.
It was information known only to the two of them.
And, unfortunately, Kumagawa as well.
It wasn't like she could hide it from him. It was already far too late for that. Trying to keep things from him now... there was nothing she could do about it anymore.
『Ahaha, 』Went Kumagawa again, like a mischievous child. 『You've been quite bold lately, haven't you, Kushida-chan? Well, a tsundere personality like yours would be a bit cliché, but—』
"It's not tsundere."
Ignoring her completely, Kumagawa continued.
『I don't hate it. This side of yours. 』
"...."
Kushida was silent.
Rather than being silent because she was troubled, she was probably silent because of how annoying he was.
What was this?
Was he trying to act cool?
Honestly, the line itself sounded cool.
But coming from him, it felt more like something said just to protect his dignity, assuming he even had any to begin with.
"Kukuku... what is this? A romcom? Since when did you get into romance, Kikyo?"
After watching the exchange between Kumagawa and Kushida, Ryuen finally spoke up. As expected of a villain character with a rotten personality, his first words were meant to provoke.
『I know it's been a while since we last saw each other, Ryuen-chan, but aren't you a little too excited? 』
"Kuku... maybe I am. It's been a while since we last talked, hasn't it? I was starting to think I did something wrong."
『Well, it's not like you haven't... isn't that right, Kinoshita-san? 』
"!?"
Walking over to where Kinoshita was lying, Kumagawa immediately broke any sense of personal space. He leaned in close—close enough for Kinoshita to see her own reflection in his bottomless eyes.
Ryuen immediately shoved him back.
"What do you think you're doing to my classmate, Kumagawa?"
"That's right, Kumagawa-kun. What are you doing? You're being rude to Kinoshita-san," Kushida said, she leaned closer to his ear.
『Come on, Kushida-chan, don't say something so harsh. I'm just asking my dear friend, Kinoshita Minori-san, a harmless question. Isn't that right, Kinoshita-san...?』
Kushida fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Good friend... Do you actually know her? Like personally"
『Let's see... Kinoshita-san. Her father is a retired firefighter who now runs a bakery with her mother. She has a younger sister in fifth grade. Back in middle school, she was one of the top runners in the track team. But before one of her competitions, she injured her leg and ended up shutting herself away for a while. Then, in her third year, she tried to change, to cover that weakness, and joined the track team again after enrolling here. If that's the Kinoshita-san you mean, then yes, I definitely know her. 』
"Wait... how do you know so much about her...?"
He had just listed things even her close friends might not know.
It was a little scary.
Kushida turned to Kinoshita, trying to confirm whether what Kumagawa said was just his usual nonsense or the truth. By coincidence, their eyes met, and without a single word, Kushida already knew the answer.
Kinoshita was clearly shaken.
"H-how did you know about that...?" she asked.
『What do you mean, how...? Of course I know about you, Kinoshita-san. What kind of vice president would I be if I couldn't do at least that much? It's my responsibility to have a grasp on every student in this academy. 』
"..."
Kushida thought that wanting to grasp every student as the student council vice president sounded admirable. But if that included personal details like those, then it wasn't something that sounded admirable at all.
In fact, it was something that sounded nothing but ominous.
Then again, if she talking about things that were nothing but ominous, Kumagawa himself is nothing but ominous so it was a bit ridiculous to say something like that now.
"I see... I guess that's makes sense." Kushida just accepted that as a reasonable answer, becasue she doesnt wanto to wrack her brain trying to make sense his absurd answer.
"No, no, no, no, I'm not fine with that. What do you mean it makes sense? There's nothing about that that makes any sense. It's just disturbing," Kinoshita shook her head passionately as she pointed at Kumagawa."Are you seriously going to ignore that list of my personal life he just said, Kushida-san? Aren't you his childhood friend? Don't just brush it off like that!"
"That's... not what I'm trying to do."
"Then, come on! Say something will you?"
"....."
While Kushida could understand the anxiety Kinoshita was feeling, since she had experienced something similar not too long ago, she honestly couldn't bring herself to care about something like that right now.
It wasn't that she wanted to ignore her. If responding would improve her image in Kinoshita's eyes, she would normally do it without hesitation.
But dealing with Kumagawa was different. It was an uneven exchange, one that would only lead to trouble. More importantly, she didn't want to risk exposing herself or getting involved in something that could put her in danger.
She didn't want to get dragged in as a bystander.
As someone from another class, it was better for her to stay out of it.
"Um, Kinoshita-san... I understand how you feel. But I think you should give up." Kushida lightly poked Kumagawa's head as she continued, "He's the vice president, you know. I do think it's an invasion of privacy, and honestly something that could get him arrested, but there's nothing you or I can really do about it. Besides, since it involves your personal life, maybe it's better if I don't get involved."
"Could you not make it sound like I should just accept it? This is my personal information. Don't give up on me now!"
"Then... why not think of Kumagawa-kun as someone who's just a big fan of track and field?"
"That doesn't make it any better!"
"....."
How troublesome.
While her situation was miserable, there was honestly nothing Kushida could do about it. It wasn't like Kumagawa could take back what he said, or make it as if those thing he said never happened.
Seeing that Kushida had nothing more to say, and had more or less given up, Kinoshita had no choice but to turn to the only other person in the room. She did so reluctantly, but there was no one else she could rely on in this strange situation.
"Ryuen-sa—"
"Kinoshita, shut up. I don't care about something that trivial."
"....."
And just like that, Kinoshita fell silent.
Before she could even finish speaking, she was cut off completely.
Seeing that, Kushida couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her.
'How depressing...'
Not only was she in a pitiful state, but her situation was just as bad. Her personal information had been exposed without her consent, and when she asked for help, she was met with a cold response from Ryuen. To make it worse, he had dismissed it as something "trivial."
Look, even her eyes were already moist.
She looked like she was about to cry.
"But still... I didn't expect the student council to have access to that kind of information. You really sit on a pile of secrets, don't you, cockroach?"
『Well, you start to see all kinds of strange things if you work hard enough. 』
'But you don't ever work hard, though?!'
That was what Kushida thought.
She had never seen him work seriously since joining the student council. The only exception was during summer vacation, when they were reorganizing it with Tachibana-senpai. That was probably the only time he had acted like a proper student council member.
Other than that, nothing.
In fact, rather than working, he only ever caused trouble.
『Judging by where this conversation is going, is it safe to assume you're worried I'll do the same to you? That I'll start listing your embarrassing past as well? 』
"Kuku... and why should I be afraid of that? Say whatever you want. It won't change anything about me." Ryuen's voice carried a dangerous tone, that even his narrowed eyes looked sharp enough to slit like a snake.
But true to his words, it really wouldn't change anything about Ryuen.
In his case, that meant his reputation.
It was already at rock bottom. Adding a few embarrassing details or rumors wouldn't make any difference for someone who already held the worst reputation among the delinquent students. There was no one else who could sink lower than that.
Except for a certain person.
『How brave of you, 』 Kumagawa said, completely unfazed. 『But there's no need to worry. I have no interest in your personal or embarrassing past, Ryuen-chan. In fact, I couldn't care less about any information related to boys in this school. 』
Kumagawa followed up with an expression more serious than he had ever shown to others.
『Rather than boys, I'm only interested in information about girls. I have no interest in anything else. Well... I only bothered learning it because, as the student council vice president, I thought I should take responsibility and understand every student in this academy. Though, in the end, it was mostly about the girls. 』
As expected.
His reasoning was all over the place, but in the end, it could be reduced to something simple—The desires of a pervert. Not that anyone expected anything better from him, but even then, this still managed to fall below expectations.
Even for Kushida, who already had a very low opinion of him.
Still, in a way, it was a relief for her to see that Kumagawa was still abusing his position to make everyone else uncomfortable. There was practically nothing she could hide from him anymore, especially since he already knew about her rotten personality. Though there were still things she didn't want brought up, especially what happened back in middle school, but at this point, it felt like a matter of time before he learned about that incident as well.
But even then, it probably wouldn't change anything between them.
Putting that aside, if she used it well, he could become a walking encyclopedia of student secrets.
Though most of it was about girls.
She didn't expect him to remember anything about the boys. Even so, half the student body was still a large enough source of information to be valuable.
『I even remember Kushida-chan's three sizes. I could list them from memory if it came down to it. 』
"....."
She takes back what she said.
Whatever position he took, vice president or not, whatever the case, whatever the situation, her partner still had the same unpleasant personality.
『But putting Kushida-chan's three sizes aside... 』
"Don't just set it aside," Kushida said, giving her usual empty tsukkomi, without any real intent behind it.
Of course, just as she expected, he completely ignored her. Kumagawa slowly moved closer to Kinoshita once again, closing the distance between them.
『What's wrong with my childhood friend, Kinoshita-san? 』
"I-I'm not your childhood friend!"
『Ahaha, how cruel, 』 he laughed. 『But seriously, what happened to you? 』
As he spoke, Kumagawa casually poked her injured leg, which had already been neatly wrapped in fresh bandages by the school nurse. Despite how she usually acted like treating injured students was a pain, which was a problem in itself, especially since it was her job, the nurse was unexpectedly competent, no, more than that, she was extremely skilled.
It reminded Kumagawa of Hitoyoshi-sensei. Even though her abilities were more specialized in psychosomatic care, her fundamental skill as a doctor was impressive, which said a lot about the ability of this school nurse.
"Kushida, can you come here for a moment?"
A voice came from the hallway, followed by the sound of the door opening.
It was Chabashira-sensei, looking somewhat conflicted.
Kushida glanced at Kumagawa, who was still poking Kinoshita's injured leg, then at Kinoshita, who looked helpless despite it, and finally at Ryuen, who only seemed amused, with no intention of stopping him.
How cruel.
After looking at the three of them, Kushida excused herself and stepped into the hallway.
That left the room with Kumagawa, Ryuen, Kinoshita, and the nurse, who had barricaded herself to quietly enjoy watching the sports festival.
『So, what did you do to my precious childhood friend? 』
"I-I told you, I'm not your precious childhood friend!"
Unfortunately for her, just like everything else, she was completely ignored, as Kumagawa and Ryuen looked at each other. Even though she was the one who was injured, she was also the one with the least presence here.
Almost like a background.
Kinoshita felt like crying.
On the other hand, Ryuen looked at Kumagawa, who had already finished poking his classmate's injured leg, and was now making himself comfortable by sitting on the bed next to where Kinoshita was lying.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, not acknowledging anything.
『Ahaha, there's no way that's true. Did you do something bad, by any chance? 』
"Kukuku... I told you, I don't know what you're talking about," Ryuen repeated.
『Hmm... My words may have come off a bit too strong. In that respect, I'm not very good with the nuances or the subtlety of Japanese... Let me correct myself. Ryuen-kun, did you perhaps stomp on my childhood friend's leg to make her injury look worse than it actually is?』
"..."
Ryuen's eyes immedietly narrowed, while Kinoshita looked visibly anxious.
Honestly, rather than subtle, Kumagawa's words sounded more like an accusation.
It wasn't a matter of being too strong anymore. It was like he had driven a truck straight into Ryuen. At that point, it wasn't about nuance or subtlety, it was closer to a blunt accusation, almost like blackmail.
『Ryuen-chan is cruel isn't it, Kinonshita-chan? 』
Kumagawa turned to Kinoshita with a somwheat devilish smile.
"W-what are you saying, really? Kumagawa-kun, please stop joking around.... Also, please don't call me 'chan' added to my name...." Kinoshita quietly whimper.
『No, no, Kinoshita-chan, 』Said Kumagawa, completely ignoring her latter request, 『No matter how you look at it, an injureies like this is, while possible, is completely unlikely in this scenario. 』
Kumagawa seemed conclusive in his word which makes Kinoshita unsure how to respond. Which is why she looked at Ryuen who has been strangely quiet for a while.
Noticing her gaze, Ryuen finally spoke.
"Drop the bullshit, Kumagawa. Kinoshita was injured during the race with Horikita—plain and simple. She hasn't touched any other event, so there's no other way she could've ended up like this. What, are you suggesting I'd do something that twisted to my own classmate?"
『Huhu, 』
Said Kumagawa laughing off his statement.
Truly, his mentality was truly hard to read.
『Well, if you want to play modest, go ahead. That's fine by me. But don't you think you're being a little too harsh on Horikita-chan? It's not really my problem, but at this rate, you might break her, you know? 』
"Kukuku... I already told you, I don't know what you're talking about. But if she breaks that easily, then Suzune is weaker than I thought."
『That's true. Horikita-chan is the glass cannon type of character. She's especially fragile by nature if you know where to hit. But that only applies when she's all alone.』
"....What do you mean by that?" Ryuen narrowed his eyes. Even though Kumagawa words were plain and simple, the way he worded things had a different nuance to it.
『Right now, there's someone taking a special interest in her. 』
"...Interest?"
『Yeah. The kind of interest you'd have when raising a pet. That person is trying to bring her out of her shell, which means they won't let her break so easily. 』
"..."
Ryuen could more or less understand what Kumagawa was implying.
Someone was supporting Horikita from the shadows.
He had already suspected it since the island exam, especially from Class D's results.
Of course, he had no issue with the results themselves. What bothered him was how Class D reacted to them.
From what he could tell, Kumagawa had acted alone back then and fooled the other classes. Without anyone's help, using only a few misdirections and several backdoor deals, he had managed to deceive all three classes. Even Ryuen had to admit it was impressive.
And yet, for some reason, it was Horikita who was treated as the savior of Class D.
That didn't make sense.
Instead of Kumagawa, who had taken action on his own, it was Horikita who received all the credit.
That could only mean one thing.
Someone had manipulated how Horikita was perceived by her class.
Of course, the leaders of the other classes, including himself, Ichinose, and Sakayanagi, knew the truth. But none of them brought up Kumagawa's involvement. Causing trouble or get involved with him would only lead to unnecessary consequences, just like what happened to Katsuragi.
His personality and reputation were already dangerous enough that no one wanted to provoke him carelessly.
That included Ryuen.
But now that Kumagawa had brought this up, it meant his suspicion might have been right.
Even so, he couldn't take Kumagawa's words at face value. Considering his nature, there was always the possibility that Kumagawa himself was the one supporting Horikita behind the scenes.
But that seemed unlikely.
"Who is it? Her brother?"
There wasn't enough information to identify who it was, and not enough to understand how it was being done. There were simply too many possibilities, both likely and unlikely.
『If that's what you want to think, then go ahead. 』
"..."
Soon after, the infirmary door swung open, and three people stepped inside, each with a different expression.
One was unreadable.
One was conflicted.
One was borderline miserable
Chabashira entered first, followed by Kushida, and then Horikita.
As if the earlier conversation had never happened, Ryuen shifted his attention to Horikita. A faint mocking smile appeared on his face as he spoke.
"Looks like things have gotten pretty serious."
"Ryuen-kun... what are you doing here?" Horikita muttered.
For the record, Horikita hadn't noticed Ryuen's presence at all when Chabashira opened the curtain earlier. Her attention had been entirely on Kinoshita and her injured leg.
"Hey, hey, what are you saying? I came as soon as Kinoshita called for me. To think someone would do this on purpose..."
He gently placed his hand over the bandaged leg.
"Sorry. I tried my best, and I wanted to take part in the next competition, but... my leg just won't listen. That's why—hng!"
"Don't blame yourself, Kinoshita. I know how much you wanted to participate in the three-legged race," Ryuen said softly.
His earlier action of not corncer with Kisnohsita injuries, setting it aside, and even describing it as 'trivial', was nowhere to be seen.
"We ran into each other by accident, Kinoshita-san. Why are you saying that I made you fall?" Horikita said, her gaze sharp as she looked at her.
Kinoshita averted her eyes.
"What do you think you're doing to my classmate? First you injure her, and now you're trying to intimidate her?" Ryuen stepped in between Kinoshita and Horikita, glaring at her.
"Hey, Kumagawa... since when did Suzune turn into this kind of trash?"
『Me? 』
"Enough, Ryuen-kun. Don't drag Kumagawa into this. This is between you and me," Horikita said firmly.
"Kukuku... and why should it be? Isn't this your class's problem? Shouldn't you rely on your classmates a bit more? Or is that not your style of leadership?"
"That's a bold thing to say coming from you."
"In my case, it works just fine. But what about yours? I hear Class D is falling apart right now. Care to explain?"
"...Are you trying to mock me?"
"Kukuku... take it however you like."
He called her out directly, fully aware of her role and what had happened during the sports festival. The effect was immediate, Horikita's expression faltered the moment he said it. Even after everything she had already endured, he refused to grant her a moment to recover. Instead, he kept pressing, trying to break her down to get under her skin.
『Come on, Horikita-chan. Don't answer mockery with anger. If you do, you'll just sink to Ryuen-chan's level. 』
"And what are you still doing here? Shouldn't you be leaving already?" He waved his hand dismissively.
『Don't be like that. As vice president, it's my duty to make sure things don't escalate into violence. So instead of throwing insults, why not have a proper discussion? For example... you could explain that brilliant elimination plan of yours. 』
"Elimination...?"
Horikita immediately went on guard, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Ryuen.
『Let's continue, 』 he said. 『The biggest issue here is Kinoshita-chan's injury, isn't it? Because of Horikita-chan, she can no longer participate in the sports festival, which is why Ryuen-chan came here to find a resolution, right? Even if both sides believe their version of the story is the truth, it's all quite useless if no one can actually prove who's "correct," isn't it? So, Ryuen-chan must have come here with a specific resolution in mind, and a plan for how it should be settled. 』
"Tch... why don't you mind your own business, you damn cockroach..." Ryuen clicked his tongue. "But he's right. After you reduced her to this state, what kind of leader would I be if I didn't take responsibility for my subordinate? Isn't that right, Kinoshita?"
"Y-yeah... ngh—"
Kinoshita winced as she spoke.
But rather than the pain from her injury, it seemed like she was reacting to the words Ryuen had just said.
"Stop joking around. You think I'd do something like this?" Horikita shot back.
"You never really know someone, do you? Convenient, though. Kinoshita, who just happens to be better at sports than you, ends up seriously injured and forced to withdraw. She was supposed to take part in all the recommended events too."
"No matter how desperate I am to reach Class A, do you really think I'd stoop this low?"
"We can keep going back and forth on this, but it won't settle anything. What do you think, Kinoshita?" Ryuen looked at Kinoshita, his glare practically forcing her to speak.
"Horikita-san..." Kinoshita hesitated. "When I fell... you said I definitely wouldn't win."
"I said no such thing. Why are you lying?"
『But didn't you look back at her during the race? There's no point denying it. I didn't see it myself since I was at the medical tent, but there were plenty of witnesses who did. I could even call them here, if you want. 』
"..."
At first, Horikita had only felt mild frustration toward Kumagawa's presence. Since she couldn't do anything about him, she chose to ignore him.
But now that he had stepped in like this, that frustration began to return.
She understood that, as vice president, he couldn't openly take sides. In that sense, she could accept his position. But the way he worded it... it didn't help her case in the slightest.
"Yes, I admit that I looked back at her. But that was only because she kept calling my name from behind me. At first I ignored her, but then something felt off, so I turned and looked back."
『Is that true, Kinoshi—』
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Kumagawa's words were cut off by the sudden sound of his phone.
『Ah. Sorry, it's my cellphone. I'll be right back. 』
Taking out his phone, Kumagawa quickly picked up the call he's been getting. The atmosphere of the room suddenly turned awkaward as everyone in the room, except the nurse who is in her own world look at Kumagawa.
『Hello? Oh, hey there, Tachibana-senpai. How are you? I'm in the middle of something interesting, so could you keep it brief? 』
Something interesting, he said.
Hearing that, Ryuen let out an obvious snicker, clearly amused. On the other hand, Horikita looked even more frustrated. After all, it was her problem he had just called "interesting."
『Come on, don't be like that. I thought we were close enough to share each other secret? And the distinciton between senior and junior is nothing in the face of our relationships. 』
Even though he said it in a more serious tone than usual, no one in the room believed a single word of it. The idea that Kumagawa had someone he was close enough with to share secrets felt completely fabricated.
『I'm at the infirmary right now. Did you need something?』
He tilted his head, his eyes wandering toward the medical cabinets with a gaze that made it impossible to tell if he was even listening to the person on the other end.
『Eh, me? Why me? Didn't Ichinose-chan also free? Isn't that just plain discimination? I vote for equal right between gender! 』Said Kumagawa with the same tone of voice as he always used.
『Well, if that what you say, who am I to argue againts that kind of logic. But then what about Nagumo-senpai? Aren't you golding a grudge againts him? Huh, no? what kind of secretary are you if you don't make a nemesis out of someone your beloved hate? 』
He gestured lightly with his free hand, as if emphasizing his point.
『Ahaha, now that's discrimination if I've ever seen it. Hate, dislike, different views, opinions, even principles, none of that matters. Everything is permitted in the name of love, especially if it's for your beloved Mana—』
Suddenly, Kumagawa winced and pulled the phone away from his ear. A sharp, frantic voice burst out from the other side. The volume was so loud that even Horikita and the others, standing a few steps away, could hear the distorted shouting.
『Good grief, no need to shout. 』
Kumagawa sounded almost amused.
『Fine, fine. Even though I'm in the middle of something interesting, if it's Tachibana-senpai's order, I have no choice but to follow it. From now on, feel free to order me around as much as you like. 』
He ended the call with a tap and slipped his phone back into his pocket.
『As you can see, it seems I'm needed somewhere else. But honestly, what Tachibana-senpai said earlier felt a bit discriminatory, so I was wondering if there's a way for me to stay here instead. So, Horikita-chan, any ideas? 』
"Huh?"
『I'm asking if you have any idea how I can stay here. 』
"I have no reason to keep someone who clearly has other obligations. Why don't you just go and fulfill them?"
『I see... so even you don't have the slightest idea. What a shame. I suppose I'm more needed elsewhere than here. 』
Kumagawa let out a sigh, as if genuinely lamenting his situation.
Being told he was needed somewhere else, and not here, was almost relieving. Perhaps even refreshing. No one inside the infirmary needed him, nor wanted him here. His presence was nothing but a nuisance, an unfortunate coincidence.
That was why Horikita had no hesitation in telling him to leave.
Well, almost no one.
Kushida, for some reason, felt a slight sense of regret. With him gone, there would be no one to make either Ryuen or Horikita feel uneasy, like they were walking on thin ice. But there was no way she could say, "Why don't you stay a bit longer?" in front of everyone. Even if it meant losing that bit of amusement, even if it left her unsatisfied, her sense of social sensitivity told her that letting him go was the best choice.
Even so, it felt like a waste.
Heading toward the door, Kumagawa placed his hand on the handle, but suddenly turned back toward Ryuen and Horikita. No, it was more accurate to say his gaze settled on Ryuen.
『Ryuen-chan, you remember what I said earlier, right? 』 His eyes briefly shifted to Horikita for a moment before returning to Ryuen. 『I won't bother wishing you good luck. It'd be worthless coming from a Minus like me. But try not to lose that eagerness of yours, no matter what happens. 』
Leaving behind those vague words, Kumagawa opened the door and stepped out of the infirmary, leaving the others behind in silence.
"...Is he trying to act cool?" Ryuen muttered, glancing at Kushida, the one most familiar with him.
"...Probably?"
With his personality, it wasn't impossible. Maybe it was his own way of preserving some kind of dignity. Or maybe it meant nothing at all.
No one could really tell.
As for the person in question..
.
『Hmm, that's strange... feels like I'm forgetting something. 』
He walked down the hallway with his usual smile.
『Well, whatever. If I forgot it, it probably wasn't that important to begin with. 』
And just like that, he left the infirmary behind, without even getting the injuries he came for treated.
『END』
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Here you go peasants, another chapter.
Also, quick question for you, dear readers.
Do you like it when the conversation takes a slight philosophical turn, or would you rather keep it simple and easy to understand without too much underlying meaning or unfamiliar thought experiments or something along those lines?
Please let me know, since this could change things in this story for better or worse.
Or it might mean nothing at all.
Who knows?
Anyway, that's it for today's chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for reading!]