V13 8-1

Chapter 8: At the very least, I wish I won’t be wrong anymore.
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8-1
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When would winter end? There weren’t many clear experiences I could draw from so far so the days only somewhat were noticeable in their changes in temperature. But even so, I was strangely aware of the turning points, probably as we reached milestone after milestone.
That’s why, the end of winter to me is probably today.
Yesterday, I’d shut myself away in my room all day long, exchanging mail with Zaimokuza, refreshing the SNS, thoroughly checking for any errors on the homepage; just spending the day off completely restlessly.
Then comes the Monday that opens the week. The Monday everyone detests. The Monday when problems that occur in the weekend gets reported.
Going to school, the classroom was filled with the atmosphere of a year’s end. Because of the excitement from the season of graduation, the topics of conversations were mostly about future courses, plans for the spring break, or even about the final tests. Excluded from all the casual chats was me alone at my seat, just silently listening to it all.
What awaited was the after school chime.
Through Yukinoshita Haruno, the bait had been spread. The prom that had been cornered based off on self-restraint had another even flashier proposal. The subset of caregivers opposing the prom wouldn’t be able to overlook this information. Above all, because their window of argument had already been established, they would probably make their move faster than they did before; both today and tomorrow too.
And it seems that prediction wasn’t all that off the mark.
When the afternoon classes ended, as the atmosphere began to lighten, Hiratsuka-sensei came towards the classroom as if she had been hurrying somewhat. She peered in through the door and when our eyes met, she smiled tiredly.
“Hikigaya. Do you have a moment after this? You’re being called in.”
As if Hiratsuka-sensei had said a joke, the lot remaining in the classroom slightly turned their heads.
Already having packed up and gathered my things, I took my bag and headed off. Hiratsuka-sensei smiled bitterly at that.
“The reason you’re being called… Looks like you already know why.”
“Sort of, since I can think of a lot of reasons. I used to be called in every time something happened.”
“Seriously.”
Hiratsuka-sensei shrugged her shoulders and her bitter smile appeared somewhat sad. I also pretended to smile bitterly while averting my eyes.
And, what came within my line of sight were those groups doubting us.
On one side were several students giving us strange looks while there were those at the back of the classroom giving us their usual reactions.
Miura didn’t seem to have any interest in us at all and looked bored while twirling her hair with her fingertips. Ebina-san was looking at me while nodding. Tobe’s group was smirking while whispering, “tsubeh. Hikitani-kun screwed up, beh”. Damn you, Tobe...
But there was just one in the middle, Hayama, that maintained a cold smile like a statue and fixated his gaze this way.
I have no reason to know what he means by that and I’m not interested either, but I can tell just from looking that there’s pity.
And finally, there was Yuigahama. Quickly able to guess the situation based off Hiratsuka-sensei’s presence here, she stopped packing her things and only grabbed her nearby coat with her as she ran out.
Exiting into the corridor, Yuigahama caught up to us. She probably intended to come to help me, but I can’t keep relying on Yuigahama for this. Always, up until now, I came this far by relying on her. I wanted to complete the finishing touches by myself.
“It’s just me appointed to be there, right?”
“That’s right. Well, I don’t know if it’s an appointment or not. I’ve just been told to call in the person responsible.”
“Yeah, that would be me.”
Hiratsuka-sensei breathed out with an expression mixed between bitterness and sarcastic amazement. Yuigahama watched our exchange with a long face before uneasily opening her mouth to speak.
“But I think it’d be good if I went as well…”
“It’s okay, I’ll do it properly.”
I said it so nonchalantly that Yuigahama opened her mouth to say something, but just before she could, her words had caught in her throat. And then, with lips pursed, she made a slight nod.
Her strange behaviour caught my attention and when I turned my gaze to face her, Hiratsuka-sensei struck my shoulder.
“There’s no need to worry, I’m here too. Nothing weird is going to happen.”
Hiratsuka-sensei said to put her at ease and Yuigahama nodded by returning a faint smile.
“Then I’ll be off for a bit.”
“Yeah. If something happens, call me.”
As she spoke, Yuigahama lightly made a soldier’s gesture with a raised hand while Hiratsuka-sensei and I began to walk again. I burningly watched her figure clad in a white coat with hands deep in her pockets as I followed her one step behind.
“Is this according to your plan?”
Hiratsuka-sensei slightly moved her neck and asked my reflection on the glass of the windows extending across the corridor.
“...Sort of, for the most part.”
Honestly speaking, not everything has been going according to plan, but the very minimum has been achieved. To me, this is a job well done. As I answered, I could tell Hiratsuka-sensei was smiling wryly over her back.
“That’s very much like your methods. Do you have a chance of winning?”
“There doesn’t have to be. In any case, there isn’t another way.”
As the continuing glass of the windows changed to walls, I could no longer infer Hiratsuka-sensei’s expression. I could only hear a sighing voice escaping.
“...That’s not a bad answer. I like it, that kind of thing.”
As she spoke, Hiratsuka-sensei’s figure unexpectedly disappeared. I knew she’d just turned the corner and was going down the stairs, but even so, I’d hurriedly moved my legs faster. Becoming aware of what I was doing, I smiled bitterly.
Someday soon, will I end up looking for that figure every time something happens? Because I was imagining stuff like that, I had stopped walking at some point. As I slowly went down the stairs one step at a time, the distance between us began to widen. Just like this, I will surely have to come to terms with separating from this person.
Neither of us spoke and the only sounds came from our footsteps.
As we approached the landing, Hiratsuka-sensei’s white coat flowed as she turned half her body towards me.
“Hikigaya, do you have time sometime soon? It doesn’t have to be today. It can be tomorrow or some other day.”
Hearing that, I thought about my schedule for a moment. Today I still had to clean up things here and there which would take up some time, but I really had nothing to do tomorrow and after.
There probably wouldn’t be any club activities anymore. Regardless of how the prom turns out, there likely wouldn’t be.
I was late in replying because I was suddenly thinking about all of this. Our footsteps resounded as if filling in the meanwhile silence.
“...Well, I’m pretty much free.”
“Really. Okay then…”
Walking forward, Hiratsuka-sensei was also slowly thinking about something as she cut off for a moment.
“...Okay then, let’s go for ramen!”
With only her neck turned this way, and her long hair shaking, I could see her smiling as if she won something.
I replied with a bitter smile and a nod.