Episode 17 – My Justice

Since then, the atmosphere of the class has changed a bit. Rather than atmosphere, the human relationship to be exact..

“Ah, good morning, Yukihana san.”

“……Hm.”

Kisaragi and Yukihana greet each other in the morning, not necessarily cheerfully, but they do. 

Compared to that time, the frequency of getting involved with Kisaragi decreased, and Kisaragi’s forced smile is no longer there. On the other hand, Yukihana no longer expressed her displeasure. The biggest factor is probably that Kisaragi has calmed down. She is no longer self-centered in her approach to Kisaragi, and she now maintains an appropriate distance between them. Yukihana also exchanges a few words with Kisaragi from time to time.

“……”

And I haven’t spoken to her or made eye contact with her since then. There’s a big invisible wall between us.

As per my ideal, Kisaragi stopped associating with me. This would’ve been more than enough to accomplish my first goal. Hopefully, this will continue for the rest of my life.

In the meantime, I got a call from Yukihana after school. Kisaragi was looking for Yukihana, and we stepped out of Kisaragi’s line of sight as if we were used to it and went into the equipment room. Then Yukika said to me as she glared at me.

“……What did you do?”

“…..I didn’t do anything.”

Actually, it’s not a lie. I juts put a letter in Kisaragi’s locker and I called my step sister, not as a student, but as a family member. The fight with Kisaragi was just a coincidence and a spice of youth.

I tried to make excuses like that in my mind and create an expression that I really didn’t do anything. Then Yukihana sighed in exasperation.

”….It was foolish of me to ask you.”

“Don’t get depressed.”

“……Annoying.”

Oops, what a face. Maybe she looks just like my step sister this way. While thinking about such things, Yukihana was about to return to the classroom. I think I’ve annoyed her too much. Well, it doesn’t matter and I don’t want to know.

“…….I’m going home.”

“Wait, I wanted to ask you something.”

I held Yukihana for a bit as she was about to leave. I also wanted to ask her something. I’m just curious, and it’s not something that affects me in particular, but I still dare to ask it.

“…..You won’t answer me anything, and you expect me to just answer you?”

“Just listen to me, and if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to.”

I forcefully convince her by saying so. Yukihana puffed her cheeks. I started to talk on my own without paying attention to Yukihana.

“The first time you spoke to Kisaragi, you were reading a book, right? About psychology or something like that.”

“….What about that?”

I was a little puzzled when I heard those words. Kisaragi didn’t seem to notice, but I did. That the book is clearly a different kind of book.

“Is it possible for recent light novels to talk about psychology?”

“……Eh……ha !?”

Light novel. As soon as I say that out loud, Yukihana starts to panic like I’ve never seen her before. The face that had always been expressionless now collapsed and became flustered.

In the first place, her bag has an anime character strap, and her smartphone case is clearly some kind of merchandise. The other day I glanced over and heard a sound leaking out of her earphones, but the brightness of that melody was definitely an anime song or something.

“W-what are you talking about ……?”

“The book is too thin to talk about psychology in it. I could catch a glimpse of the illustrations, if anything, and it’s a romantic comedy?”

“Ah-uh.”

When I asked that question, Yukihana blushed. Apparently, she was embarrassed to be found out, and she was fidgeting like never before. My mischievous spirit got the better of me and I decided to take it a little further anyway.

“The strap you had on your bag. I think it’s a character from an anime that was on a while ago. I think it’s……”

“…..Chizuru chan.”

“Hmm?”

“……Chizuru chan from……rent a girlfriend.”

Then, as if she had regained her composure, Yukihana started talking very fast. I can see the flames in the background, and I feel more pressure than ever before.

“……What’s wrong with liking two dimensional? I’m also a big fan of the anime of this season and I’ve bought all the original works as well. Yesterday, after I parted with Kisaragi Yuu, I bought a lot of novels and manga, and read them until late at night. I bought all the original works and extra editions of the ones I liked this season at the bookstore and read them on the same day. I only bring my favorites to school. Of course, I’ll buy it when it’s made into a game, and I’ll go to an event for that. I spent as much as I could on the crane game and Ichiban Kuji Lottery to get the figures, and I also used all the mail order sites to get the limited edition goods. ……Hey, don’t laugh. What’s wrong with liking two-dimensional things?”

I just laughed because she was so passionate about it. And Yukihana also said the same thing at the beginning and the end.

I didn’t know she could talk like that. I think it’s better to be lively that way. I don’t say it out loud, though.

“In other words, you’re an otaku, Yukihana….”

“Don’t call me that.”

※

A few days have passed since the conversation between me and Yukihana. I don’t know why, but Yukihana has been getting involved with me more and more. She has been persistently asking me about the truth of that day, including to stop me from telling her about the otaku thing. I’ll admit to being a bit of a failure on that one. I shouldn’t have poked my nose into other people’s hobbies in a weird way.

Every time she opens her mouth to me, she asks me about that day, but I try to keep it vague. I’m not going to lie, because there’s no covenant in that contract.

“……I think it’s about time you told me.”

I was thinking about the past few days, shutting myself away in my own world and looking at the sky, and Yukihana never got tired of talking to me again today. This girl is perhaps surprisingly talkative?

“……”

“……What did you do to Kisaragi Yuu that day?”

Of course, Yukihana knew that something had happened between me and Kisaragi. Until recently, while inviting Yukihana, she had also invited me to join her, but  she stopped doing that.

And Kisaragi, who has decided to talk to various people in class, has not spoken to me once since that time. Yukihana, who was sitting next to me, could see right through me.

“Nothing really happened.’

“……I see.”

When I said that, Yukika stopped pursuing the matter further. This is the distance between me and Yukihana. If possible, I hope she doesn’t do any more unnecessary things.

“Ah, Yukihana san.”

Just as Yukihana and I are about to cut the conversation short, Kisaragi interrupts us. She had probably been listening to us for a while. And she’s here to separate Yukihana from me.

“Um, the track and field club has a day off today, so is it okay if we go home together?”

The previous Kisaragi would’ve forced her to go along with her without saying such a thing. Kisaragi must have grown as much as she started to say that word.

“……”

Then came the silence. Kisaragi completely ignored me and waited for Yukihana’s reply. It’s a tense moment for her, but Yukihana is as expressionless as always.

“……I’m going straight home today, without taking any detours.”

“Ah, I see. Well then, see you again next time…”

“……I’ll go straight home, but I won’t mind accompanying you.”

“!……Thank you, Yukihana san !”

Kisaragi returned to her desk with a big smile on her face. I’m sure she’s in a hurry to get ready to go home. Yukihana, on the other hand, is going at her own pace, listening to music (ani-song) and looking at the sky without hurriedly preparing to go home. She’s probably waiting for Kisaragi to talk with her friends a little longer.

(Maybe, Yukihana is a Tsundere……)

When I was thinking about such things, Yukihana, who should’ve been listening to music, glared at me. Maybe this girl can use supernatural powers?

“….I still don’t trust you after all.”

“Do as you please.”

Then Yukihana leaves the classroom. Kisaragi, who noticed this, rushed after Yukihana and began to walk side by side.  After some time, the two could really become friends.

(……Friends, huh?)

That middle school day, all the people I called friends abused me and considered me an enemy. Friends, after all, are like business partners. If they are harmful to me, I can always cut them off with impunity. But maybe that’s just as well.

I looked out the window again. The two of them had already arrived at the school gate and were walking. I guessed that Yukihana wanted to go to the bookstore or the game store, so she was walking fast. Maybe she’ll start proselytizing her hobby to Kisaragi after some time.

Well…let’s use that at most.

If Kisaragi Yuu says white, the whole class will say so. And if Yukihana gets a little closer to Kisaragi, Kisaragi will depend on Yukihana. Just like she’s bound by the illusion of me in the past.

In that contract, it was written as a pledge that Yukihana would become the class president or its equivalent. If she could become more than friends with Kisaragi Yuu, it was practically equivalent to becoming the class president. In other words, Yukihana would get the right to make decisions for the entire class. Yukihana can control Kisaragi as she likes.

And I will control it.

I don’t care if other people hate me. As long as I’m standing at the last moment, I don’t care what happens to the rest. No matter how much they abuse me, no matter how much they hate me, it doesn’t affect me anymore. If anyone tries to take advantage of me, I will eliminate them without question. Friends, associates, even family members, I won’t hesitate.

This is my way of doing justice.

Chapter 1: Malice Prelude – Complete