Episode 76 – Counterattack Signal

“Ah, of course, when I say kill, I don’t mean literally, I mean socially.”

“Even if you said that, I can’t do anything about it. I’m busy, so…….”

“Now, now, don’t be so hasty in your conclusion. I know you’re on my side just because of the way you responded to Shinya’s name.”

“……”

It’s annoying to be lumped together, but if everything the vice president says is true, we’re definitely on the same side. In other words, those who have been falsely accused and victimized. Or someone around us……

“From what I’ve been able to find out, I’m pretty sure you’re the one who got the worst of it. Not just in class, but all over the school…….”

“……Sigh.”

It seems that Miura has carefully researched my middle school days. He probably heard about it from someone who was my classmate at the time. Or did Shinya talk to this senior? I can’t say because I don’t know the timeline of when this senior and Shinya were close. Did they become friends after Shinya and I became friends, or were they close even before that?

But there’s no doubt that this is a story that neither of us wanted to let out. So I put my hand in my pocket and stopped recording on my phone. I was going to use it as a threat in case of an emergency, but I didn’t want to record what happened from here on out. Even if I needed to recall it, I could just store it in my brain and it wouldn’t matter.

“So, what are you trying to say?”

“I’m glad you asked. But I’ve already told you what I want to say. I want to hunt them down and hurt them socially, and I need your help to do it.”

“…….What did you do, Senpai?”

I first inquired whether Miura had really caused any trouble related to Shinya before responding to his request for help. Then Miura makes a gloomy face as if he has swallowed a bitter bug and laughs at himself.

“I have a sister. It was my sister who was harmed, not me……you can guess what happened. Is that explanation enough?”

“No, a little more detail.”

“……I see, okay, I’ll tell you a little bit. If you want to go into it, my sister is in the hospital. She has a mental illness.”

“……Understand. I’m sorry I doubted you.”

I was able to hear the minimum necessary things, and the senior seems to be having a hard time, so I’m going to wrap up this story. I see, senior’s……Miura senpai’s sister to be exact, seems that they too have had a disgusting experience. I can’t predict the details, but I’m not going to do that because it would make me sick too.

I wonder if that guy really doesn’t feel any guilt. No, I don’t think so. He’s an egomaniac who is driven by his own desires, and he’s a person of poor quality who has made that his creed. And he’s protected by a certain amount of power. It’s true that the senior must have his heads in their pockets. Especially if it’s the student council.

And the specific reason why he approached me. I expect it’s to make me do something he can’t do himself. I had originally guessed that I wasn’t the only one who suffered. I thought about seeking them out and colluding with them too……,but I was too tired at the time to even think about making a move. But now someone has finally come along who is willing to do it.

In that case, I guess I’m willing to help…….?　But let me be a little more vague. You can’t trust a person you’ve never met one hundred percent. I know he’s not lying about anything by observing his behavior.

“Even if I wanted to cooperate, there’s nothing a person like me could do.”

“If you can’t, forget this conversation and get off. But if it’s you, maybe it’s possible. That’s why I approached you.”

“Even though I’m such a loser?”

“Well, that depends on how you look at it. But……”

He then stands next to me and looks out onto the field. The scavenger hunt competition is being held there, and it seems that the first class has reached the goal. The class that is getting ridiculously excited about the situation is…..

“……Ah.”

“It’s amazing. You never know what will happen to people as long as you don’t give up.”

The class that was happy downstairs was my class, 2nd year class 1. Where did Kisaragi and Hayama’s heavy atmosphere until now go, and they’re delighted with their teammates’ victory. The group in the scavenger hunt was a collection of people who were not athletic, so I had expected them to lose in the beginning of the race.

“Unexpected things can happen anytime. I’ve been in that kind of situation all my life. So, why don’t you want to fight back a little bit? Even without the strength.”

“……Sigh—“

I sighed. Was it because I was amazed at the appearance of a senior who shamelessly tried to rely on someone, or because I was envious of his heart that still wanted to rely on someone after suffering a terrible experience? I don’t know why.

“So, what do you want me to do?”

“I’m glad you said so. First of all, I would like you to do some work at the gymnasium.”

“At the gym?”

I had assumed that he would make a move after the festival was over. In this sports festival, there is the chairman who is one of the targets, and Shinya, who is the key, is missing. I thought this sports festival was going to be passed off as a random event so as not to stand out, but…….

“There are only two events left for the sports festival. One is the scavenger hunt that’s just downstairs.”

“Yeah, and the other is……”

“Relay. For you, this event is……”

Miura then told me the story behind the sports festival and some of the plans he had for the future. But as I listened to him, my face became more and more expressionless. And what we’re about to do is also a very outrageous plan that breaks all the rules.

Above all, it’s inevitable that I will attract an inordinate amount of attention if I carry out this plan. It’s not that I don’t have a solution, but it would be conspicuous.

“Is it even possible to do that in the first place?”

“Leave that to me. I’m proud to say that I’m one of the most trusted people in the class, and I’m sure everyone will listen to me. In the worst case scenario, I’ll decline. I’m in the first event, the ball toss, so it won’t be against the rules of the sports festival.”

“It’s going to be a harrowing turn of events for your class, Senpai.”

“But you should be able to achieve results. In the first place, it’s strange that the sports festival involves the affairs of uncouth adults. That’s what I think.”

“That’s a reasonable outrage.”

Miura, with the flame of determination in his eyes, said so. He must have confidence in his ability to handle the blame because he says so. Or perhaps he already has a hold on the other side’s weakness.

Then Miura muttered, [Speaking of which], as if he had just remembered something, and started talking about something else.

“Then let’s change the subject a little, shall we? Actually, Haruka chan, as the student council president, knows the backstory of this sports festival. She is in charge of this sports festival with very complicated feelings.”

“……Hee.”

“Hm? You don’t seem very interested. I’m talking about your sister.”

“I don’t really care about that right now.”

“You’re so frank.”

Either way, I’m still on the fence. Whether or not to accept this unreasonable story and carry it out.

(If I do or don’t, nothing will change either……)

I know that if I don’t do it, there will be no chance at all. However, there’s no confidence whether this plan will really reach that father and son as a poisonous fang. After all, I had already been defeated by them once.

[Eh, you’re not going to do it?]

(……)

[I’d like to go on a rampage for the first time in a while.]

(……Tch)

Again, I hear ringing in my ears. I forget about the auditory hallucinations I’m hearing and think about this story again. Either way, there’s no time left before the start of the relay, an important event. The decision must be made now.

“Well, what are you going to do?”

Miura was also waiting for my answer. So I thought hard. I had to make Miura’s plan more perfect. And to make sure that no harm would come to me. If I failed, I would not be the only one to blame. If I failed, even my step sister would be involved.

But all of them are half-hearted and will fail. Either way, as it is, the perfect plan is…..

(No, no.)

I have nothing more to lose anyway. Then let’s just go ahead and do it. And if we fail, we can leave this school. Even that chairman can’t influence all educational institutions, and he can start over as much as he wants. If he is to be blamed for that, he might as well go abroad. Either way, this is my first and last chance.

[Now, now, do you remember some things?]

(Oh, I see.)

Yes, I……was so frustrated that I couldn’t stand it. I was so frustrated that it had to end like that. That they were living on as if they didn’t know. The guy who was content with a cool face after driving everything to ruin. And above all……I can’t accept such an unreasonable fate. I don’t want to admit it. The fist for counterattack has been clenched tightly for a long time.

[That’s why…..I.]

(That’s why……I.)

[ [Let’s do it.] ]

At this point, I felt the ringing in my ears, which had always been an unpleasant tone in my brain, overlap with my voice.