Episode 14 – Breaking Point

I entered into a contractual relationship with Shiina Kanata, and he gave me instructions on how I should act after school. For me, I was annoyed at the idea of following his instructions, but since I couldn’t think of any other way at the moment, I decided to listen to him

“……”

And after returning to the classroom, I greeted him after school in an instant without exchanging words with him. When I glanced to the side, he was quickly getting ready to leave. As usual, he was quick in his actions.

And when I was preparing to go home, Kisaragi Yuu approached me today as well. Her smiling face, as usual, is now eerie.

“Yukihana san, let’s go home together today !”

“……”

I pass by her quietly without nodding or refusing. However, Kisaragi Yuu runs alongside me without saying a word. This is the same as yesterday.

(…..What in the world are you planning to do?)

Shiina Kanata said to me. He told me to act the same as yesterday as much as possible. In other words, I have to walk around with her for more than an hour today.

(……Perhaps more than yesterday)

Yesterday, she said that she was going to take the train to school too, or something like that. If things go badly, she might suggest that we take the train together. If that happens, there’s a possibility that she will follow me home, and she will find out that I lied about going to school by train.

There would be no problem if she found out about the lie, but it was easy to predict that her behavior would become even more troublesome in the future. I would like to avoid this as much as possible, but I would have to rely on other people’s help.

“So, are you stopping somewhere today?”

After leaving the school gate, we headed straight for the station street. Kisaragi Yuu walked beside me without stopping at the bicycle parking lot. I should’ve noticed when she didn’t pull her bicycle on the way to school in the morning.

“……”

I suddenly looked behind. But there’s only a stranger walking there, someone I’ve never seen before, and there is no familiar figure watching or hiding.

(……Are you seriously watching us?)

He said to me at lunchtime.

[As much as possible, I’d appreciate it if you’d act the same as you did yesterday. I’ll be following you guys today.]

If what he said was true, he must still be watching us somewhere. However, even though I looked behind me or even to the side as if I was catching a glimpse of Kisaragi Yuu, there was no sign of Shiina Kanata. Perhaps those words were lies?

(….Either way, I have no choice but to make it through today.)

To begin with, I doubted whether Shiina Kanata can be trusted or not. If today doesn’t work out, I’ll just have to give up and deal with this woman on my own. Maybe I’ll have to leave this town, but that’s not my way of doing things.

“So, you know, I got eighty points on my math test today……”

“……I see.”

“What did you get, Yukihana san?”

“…..Perfect score.”

“Perfect……eh, a perfect score !?”

Still, I can’t just ignore everything, so I’ll just respond to her from time to time. Well, if it was really necessary. In the end, I never once looked in her direction during the entire time I was returning from school. If I did, I would be more irritated.

Thus, I took the same route as yesterday as possible and arrived in front of the station at about the same time as yesterday. It was quite crowded with students who were also returning from school.

And then……

“Which direction do you take Yukihana san, up or down?”

“……”

I knew it. I’m sure Kisaragi Yuu would take the same train if our directions were the same. From here on out, I have to be careful when I answer her questions.

“……how about you?”

“Me? I guess I’m going up.”

“……Then I’m going down.”

“Eh, you’re going down?”

When I responded to her, Kisaragi Yuu smirked at me. A gaze that looks like a child doing something bad. What the hell is that?

“Do you know? There are no ups and downs at this station. We usually call them ‘inner tracks’ and ‘outer tracks’.”

“……”

I see, I’ve been fooled. I had thought that was what she had asked me, and I had answered her appropriately. This is purely my lack of attention.

[Be careful, that girl is surprisingly cunning.]

(……)

I remembered his advice now. I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time, but it seems his words were true. This girl is perceptive in a strange way.

“Geez, why do you lie like that?”

“……That’s.”

Because you’re an eyesore. Please, don’t get involved with me any more than you have to.

How much easier it would be if I could say such heartless things. But I don’t know what would happen to her or me if I said that. What should I do from here? I don’t know anymore.

“Look at me, Yukihana san.”

“……”

Yeah, I….may be at my breaking point. Not just my arms, but my shoulders were losing strength as well.

I silently stare back at Kisaragi Yuu. It was already seconds until I would be able to get my hands on her. I didn’t even know what terrible things I might do if I stayed with her any longer. I was burned with such passion.

“Yukihana san?”

“……”

And…..

“So you guys are the problematic students.”

A voice I had never heard before called out to me and Kisaragi Yuu.

“Eh?”

“…… !?”

Kisaragi Yuu was very surprised to see that person. I, on the other hand, quickly regained consciousness and realized what I was about to do. If it weren’t for the voice I just heard, I would’ve never seen Kisaragi Yuu ever again……

As if following her, I also looked in that direction, but……who is she?

(……No, I’ve seen her somewhere)

Somewhere in Ichinose High School, where I’ve been spending more than a year, I’ve definitely seen her face before. She’s probably a third-year student, judging from her tone and the color of the ribbon on her chest. She approached us with a grim look on her face.

“I already said it at the opening ceremony, but just in case, let me introduce myself again.”

The girl stood in front of us with an air of dignity. Then, in a tone of voice that did not shy away from her attitude, she told us, 

“I’m Shiina Haruka. I’m the student council president of your school, do you recognize me?”