Volume H Chapter 2

Volume H Chapter 2

[Unexpectedly, Tobe Kakeru brings up the past.]

It was a clear wintry day following Miura’s visit to the club.

I walked outside listlessly for PE lesson, and the sky was dazzling. Judging from this, it seemed that tonight was going to be a radiative cool night. I was definitely grateful for this cloudless weather since I was going to be training for the marathon from here on.  However, I was probably going to laze around at home at night, so the temperatures dropping didn’t really matter to me…

Three entire classes all came out onto the schoolyard. Similar to other activities during PE, the marathon training wouldn’t be divided between the boys and girls. We would only be running, though the course that the boys and girls ran would be separate.

We formed an assembly at the fields and I caught sight of Miura in a group amongst the girls.

Since the morning, Miura seemed like she had been trying to keep me out of her sight. Be it during class or break, she’d always look away from me with her cheeks in hand. And during break, Yuigahama and Ebina-san would go up beside her and chat about various things.

Although I did felt a little bad for watching her so closely, she was much calmer than she was yesterday, though I wasn’t exactly sure why.

Watching a young maiden like her cry surprised even me. Well not really, I did know for a fact that she was quite weak under pressure…… After all, didn’t she cry when Yukinoshita completely won their spat over summer……?

While she may be weak, I thought she was strong-hearted as well.

Tears are a girl’s weapon. I mean, even the lion-hair Prime Minister did say that tears are indeed a girl’s ultimate weapon. [1]

Most girls would admit defeat upon seeing that. Of course there are exceptions to that as well.

As I went to line up, I looked on ahead.

Hayama Hayato was there.

Hayama was engaged in pleasantries with Tobe and the others, not aware that I was looking at them.

Or maybe he did notice, but was acting as if he didn’t, just like how he did with other things.

As I stood there idly in thought, the PE teacher, Atsugi, finished his roll-call.
“Alrighty. Pair up with whoever you like and do some warm ups,” said Atsugi, overbearingly.

Everyone then transitioned into forming pairs and beginning their warm ups.

This timing, was one of the means in which anyone can get in contact with Hayama. If I were to talk to him about the plans from here on, I might to be able to find some way of dealing with all this.

Well then, time for me to hurry up and do warm-ups with Hayama! However, it makes me very nervous to do warm-ups with Hayama-kun!  If Ebina-san saw us doing warm-ups together, I was going to be so embarrassed by the rumors that she was going to spread!

However, if Ebina-san were to see our “making-out’ posture, it would create new rumors about Hayama, and maybe then, there was the possibility that all the old rumors would be swept away……

However.

Having said that.

There’s just no way that a samurai like me can just go out there and endure that sort of hardship, Kaoru-dono…… [2]

The gist is that, there just isn’t going to be anyone who will seriously believe the crazed BL ramblings of Ebina-san. All they are going to believe is just two guys who were fooling around with each other.

Or maybe, me hurrying up to suck up to Hayama was seen as nothing but trash, shit, rubbish and like a kyorojuu. [3]

This plan totally wouldn’t come to fruition.

As I was vexing over this matter, it seemed that Hayama had already paired up with Tobe. Even so, from the point of view of someone who doesn’t know Tobe that well, I still couldn’t see his actions as anything but that of a scum and trash.

Well, who cares about Tobe anyway. On this occasion, let’s not think about Hayama for now as well.

Now then, let’s go do warm-ups with Totsuka. I made eager looks around until I was called by someone.

“Hachimannn!”

Without thinking, I spun around. And then, our eyes met.

Lumbering his way in my direction over the surface of the field with a wave was Zaimokuza. Why does he look so happy…?
“Hachimaaan, let’s get cracking on the warm ups!”

“Right… You make it sound like we’re playing baseball here… Also, I’m pairing with someone else, so…”

I thought I’d voice my complaint to Zaimokuza, but he wasn’t listening to me at all. As a matter of fact, he started off on a tangent.

“Hold it. The instructor most certainly did say to form a pair with someone you like, but that is not the reason why I came to the likes of you… S-So, don’t misunderstand me, you hear?”

“Man, don’t blush and look away, that’s really creepy…”

I removed my gaze from Zaimokuza and made surveying looks around. Hayama, Tobe, Oooka, and Yamato had formed their respective pairs and were starting their warm ups. Damn it! Even Totsuka’s in a pair, too! I was hoping to use this as an excuse to give Totsuka’s joints a real smoothing, too…

“Guess I have no choice……”

I gave up and settled for forming a pair with Zaimokuza. I stretched my body, or rather, relaxed it. After finishing that up, I had Zaimokuza sit and I pressed down on his back.

I pressed with all my strength, however, in the case of Zaimokuza, his stomach got in the way and I just couldn’t push him down. Owing to that, Zaimokuza’s face and mine got closer and closer, and I could hear his heavy breathing close up.

“Hachiman, the winter season is starting, what would you recommend for this season?”

“I haven’t even finished the anime of this autumn season yet…… I will just finish watching them first.”

Recently, I have been busy with all sorts of things, as well as having to be considerate towards Komachi, who was busy studying for her upcoming tests. Thus, I can’t even watch anime at a slow pace using what’s left of the living room, and so my anime watching progress has more or less grinded to a halt. As a result, hard-disk recorder-chan is close to bursting with data.

However, Zaimokuza on the other hand, could continue to watch his anime at his own discretion, and now for some reason, he had a stupid victorious expression on him.

“UFUFU! Hachimaaaan, you are lagging wayyyy behind! You are still stuck on the autumn season? That is so looongg ago that I’ve already forgotten about them! Which era are you from Hachiman-dono? The primates?”

Ah indeed, annoying as hell…….

And so, I pressed down on Zaimokuza’s back. Hard.

“Ouch ouch ouch ouch!”

“You sure are noisy. Come on now. Be it anime or games, I just want to be able to enjoy it myself so I don’t care what the people around me think. I mean, weren’t you just going crazy (about the autumn season) the other day and making a whole lot of noise about it?”

“Fuuuuu, times change too…… One can’t just lose himself in the past, you know……”

Though that phrase sounded really pleasing, one can’t just go around following each new fad.

However, there is a certain truth to what he had just said. People’s interest shifts really quickly.

Just like how my waifu changes each cour [4], the trend also changes erratically. Once it has served its role as a medium for communication, people are also sure to forget it quickly.

“Well, you aren’t exactly wrong.”

Rumors last just 49 days…… Being forgotten is the same as dying… that is probably some famous saying. [5]

We quickly finished our remaining stretches, stood up, and went towards the starting point of the marathon. The other boys were already gathered there and we were considerably lined up far in the back.

Zaimokuza shot up his index finger and then pointed at me. “Hachiman… run with me!”

“Don’t wanna.”

You’re not even a girl. Why exactly do I need to run with you?

Atsugi blew the whistle with a stopwatch in his hand. The front started off sequentially and we sluggishly began running after them.

I looked to the front and around, but everyone was lightly treading on. This was just training, so there shouldn’t be anyone taking it seriously.
It was currently fourth period with lunch right after. If I used my energy here, I was definitely going to sleep throughout fifth period. Anyone would fall asleep in a heated classroom with a full stomach and exhaustion. I already sleep enough as it is in class even when I wasn’t tired.
We apathetically jogged at the tail of the line and after a few minutes, Zaimokuza was already starting to slow down. Contrary to his excellent condition just a few moments ago, he looked like a ghost now and looked as though he was about to die.

“Nu, nuuuuu…… My life, is burning away……”

“Apart from that, your fats had better burn away as well.”

With a shout to him, I left him there, and ran on ahead. Whenever someone told you to run together with him, it was proper etiquette to betray him midway. And in this way, children came to learn that they shouldn’t trust people so easily……

                                X                                            X                                        X

As I continued running by myself, I had cleared half of the assigned distance. Heke! [6] Er, that was Hamtaro, wasn’t it…?

The assigned distance for training in class was four kilometers. We ran around the circumference of the school. Blehhh… if we keep running around and around like this, I’m going to turn into butter…[7]
These insanely worthless thoughts filled my head until I eventually caught up to the middle group. It looked like commuting to school by bike everyday helped because I still had about half of my stamina left.
Although, this “middle” group was actually the people who had no motivation, comprising of everyone outside of the top group who wanted to finish as soon as they could to rest.
It was in this group that I spotted Tobe and the others.
This training probably wasn’t the time for the people from the sports clubs to run normally. I didn’t need to bother checking that they were running along with the group as well.
They’d chat with each other while occasionally hitting each other in the shoulders, poking each other’s heads, and pointlessly compete by sprinting, engaging in delightful fun. If I was a class president with pigtails, I would’ve reprimanded them with “Hey boys, be serious and run!” They’d then tell me, “Shut it, ugly!” and I’d be in tears afterwards, leading me to denouncing them during the end-of-day meeting. Heck, I wanted them to thank me for not being a beautiful, pigtailed class president girl.
But the ones messing around were just the usual idiot trio, Tobe, Oooka, and Yamato. I couldn’t see Hayama anywhere.
Good timing.

Before I talk to Hayama, there were also some things that I want to ask them about. Before I try and obtain Hayama’s cooperation, it would be more advantageous for me to try and obtain some form of information on his current situation and his thoughts.

As I stalked the three Samba Carnival [8] idiots that continued to play around, I ran along right behind them. But it was fairly difficult finding the timing to speak to them as we were running. That’s a lie! Hachiman, you lied to yourself just now! You wouldn’t be able to grab onto that timing even if we had stopped running!
This is pretty hard since there isn’t a signal of the sort to watch for… And as I was intently watching them like a rockbomb[9], Tobe stopped running.
“Go on without me.”
Tobe squatted after shouting to Oooka and Yamato. It looked like he was tying his shoes.
That’s good, the easiest guy to talk to stayed behind.
“Hey.”
“Whoa!”
I stood behind Tobe and greeted him. Tobe fell over as if he was trying to perform a falling technique and turned towards me.
“God danggit, Hikitani-kun. Ya gotta let me know before ya jump on me like that. Freaked me the hell out there.”
Uh, you’re being a bit too aggressive for how freaked out you are… Well, let’s just ignore Tobe’s mumbling complaints and quickly ask him what I needed.
“Hayama isn’t with you?”
“Ahh. Hayato-kun’s runnin’ seriously. Everyone’s totally rootin’ for him to win this year since he won last year.”
“You don’t say…”

So that’s how it is. Our school’s marathon was only separated by boys and girls, so that meant Hayama had won last year against the upperclassmen as well. That would explain why he’d be the obvious favorite to win this year too. By the way, I didn’t even get placed as I was just a part of the finishing masses.
Well, that didn’t matter.
I indicated ahead with my chin and moved my legs urging Tobe to run along. It’d be kind of odd to continue standing around here and there’s no telling when a teacher would make his rounds around here. Going along with that, Tobe stood next to me and we began running.
After running for some time, Tobe tilted his head in puzzlement. He was probably finding it strange why I was running together with him. I wanted to get down to business as well.
But before I could, Tobe opened his mouth. He let out a sigh resembling a yawn of relief and showed me a miserable looking smile. “Yo, for real, when I heard that rumor, I totally freaked out. It’s not like we can go sayin’ it to people, ya know?”
“Huh?” I glanced at him with half-opened eyes wondering what he suddenly started off on.
Tobe wiped the sweat at his brow. “C’mon, Hayato-kun said the initial “Y”, ya know? There ain’t too many who know about it.”
“……”
The abrupt mention of that caused me to react a moment late. But after gradually connecting the dots, a clear image came to mind.
It was on that night of summer.
In that dark room, the initial that he forced out, unable to endure the noisy and constant questioning of everybody’s voices.
I recalled the event with Hayama and the others when we were at Chiba Village. And surely enough, at the time, Hayama had stated that the initial letter of the person he liked was “Y”.
For just a brief moment of time, I thoughtlessly carried my legs forward and Tobe peered into my face in examination.
“We can’t talk about somethin’ like that right now, yeah?”
“R-Right…”
Aren’t you the one who brought it up? Are you one of those guys? Are you the personal barber of a king or something? I’m not some kind of scream whatever you want hole, you know…
“I mean, you get that there’s no way, but when you actually hear it, ya freak out normally, yeah?”
I found myself understanding what it was that Tobe wanted to say.
“…Well, there’s no way.”
Although it looked like I was agreeing with Tobe, I became worried I might’ve been actually saying something entirely different.

To have arrived so suddenly at the heart of the matter, I was a little surprised, but that was convenient for me too.

The rumors about Hayama, what Hayama is thinking, and what action he intends to take. Now’s the chance for me to learn about all these from Tobe.

“How’s…… Hayama? Ever since those rumors started circulating.”

“How should I say it…… I don’t really think he changed, ya know?”

In between huffs and puffs, he shook his head as he answered my question. Though we continued running on sluggishly, Tobe kept shaking his head strongly. Staggering this way, then the other, he looked like he was in some serious danger of collapsing.

However, before long, as though he had thought of something, he smacked the palm of his hand with his fist.

“Well, whatever it is, it’s just that, ain’t it? Rather than say he changed, I think the people around him changed even more, ya know?”

“Ah?”

Well, Tobe just said something that was admirable, which was very unlike him, which prompted me to ask him to repeat what he just said.

And Tobe, being ever so like Tobe, gave a remark that was straight to the point, though it still sounded impudent despite knowing that it came from Tobe. Well, I guess that I should just have the self-awareness that Tobe will always be Tobe.

And even more so in this way, it would be quite troubling if Tobe did not mix words like weyyy, suteeyyy, hausuuu, in his annoying way of speaking because one would no longer recognize it as the unique Tobe-language.

However, my prayers were in vain. Tobe gave an even more straightforward answer than before. Far from it, in response to me asking him to repeat again, he gave an even more eloquent explanation than before. Although it still sounded annoying to hear, but it at least made him sound like a decent guy now……

“Well, I mean, Hayama-kun has always been like this, Miura and the like are worried about him no? What’s everyone worrying about? Hayama can tell, ya know? He knows how to read the mood, yea? That’s why it’s become like this, yea. Seriously, it’s a deflationary spiral.”

“Ah ah, well, yea I guess.”

He was talking in such a wonderfully normal way at the start but the ending was regrettable……

He didn’t achieve a full combo……

That ‘deflating’ that he spoke about at the end was probably referring to some deflationary spiral, the vicious circle in the current situation. But then again, Tobe-kun, deflationary spiral in English is an economics term. It doesn’t have the same meaning as a vicious circle, ya know?

However, in this bottomless vortex with Hayama at the center, this negative spiral is definitely going to continue on.

Ah this is bad, for something to happen to that bunch of close friends.

Tobe, seeming to think about the others, sighed heavily. To me, it just seems like the problems of someone else, but for him, it was something serious. And so, you would want to talk about this with just about anyone. Although I wasn’t someone who was directly related to Hayama’s community, but since I was somewhat faintly involved in all this, he felt that I was just the right person to voice his concerns to.

It seemed like Tobe had let all the worry accumulate and get to him, like some bald parrot with stress, and tugged away at the hair at the back of his head gloomily, and sighed deeply again.

“Also, there’s Yui as well.”

“Well, Yuigahama is quite sensitive to the mood.”

“No no, I ain’t talking ‘bout that.”

Then what are you talking about? I looked at Tobe, who was beside me and saw him waving his hand.

“That girl, she’s quite popular with guys. There’s quite a bit of talk surrounding her as well.”

“……I see.”

And just for that instant, my breath jammed in my throat.

However, that wasn’t because I was surprised. I had known since a long time ago that Yui was indeed popular with the guys. The truth is, during the preparations for the Sports Festival, I vaguely remember guys calling out to her in person.

That’s why, the reason why my breath was stuck in my throat was not at all related to the fact that Yuigahama was popular with the guys. It was never that from the start. It was all the more because of something else.

I fear that it was probably that same sort of feeling that I had when I first heard that pointless rumor. The sort of discomfort that I felt as the green-eyed monster writhed within my body. Whatever monster it was that is running rampant in my belly, it made me feel the worst. On top of that, these monsters were all extraordinarily stubborn.

At this sort of time, I will just run to my limits. With the endorphin gushing out, once I dash past the goal tape with my tongue hanging out sexily [10] and a double peace sign [11], I think I will feel much better.

And so until then, it’s time to increase my dawdling pace a little. Thereupon, as though taking it as a signal, Tobe increased his speed as well.

“Heyy, wait up, Hikitani-kun!”

He called out to me as he chased after me. What the, don’t tell me the endorphins are coming out from you as well?

Don’t talk to me like that, or I would start thinking you are my friend.

“Hmm, how should I put it? What’cha think Hikitani-kun?”

“What? I don’t understand your question?”

I gave a curt response to his sudden question, and Tobe gave me a strange, lukewarm and gentle smile.

Then he smacked my shoulders. ……Ah, seriously annoying.

“Eh, that’s fine. I understand. It’s all right yo. Well, you are in the same club aren’t ya? There’s all sorts of reasons……Hmmmm? Yukinoshita-san is in the same club as ya, ain’t she? ……Hmmm?  Yui? Ah, well, Yukinoshita-san? Hmmm…..”

Tobe tilted his head; it seems like mystery hunter Tobe-san has run headlong into a mystery! [12] Alright! Hunter Chance! [13]

“Yup, that’s right, we are in the same club, nothing more.”

I decided to just re-use Tobe’s words as my answer in case I said anything unnecessary.  Tobe just looked at me blankly.

“Huh? That’s all? Serious?”

“Hey, you are in the same club as Isshiki as well and there’s nothing between you two, isn’t it?”

Hearing me say that, Tobe smacked his hand and pointed both his index fingers at me.

…… Really, annoying.

“That’s right! That’s all it is!  I am seriously convinced now. Hikitani-kun, really, you’re one hell of a negotiesuto, aren’t ya?”

I think the word you are looking for is negotiator…….

What’s up with this guy, his English is just as weird as his Japanese……

“Still, but but, there are some situations in which Irohasu is like super appealing to others.”

“Ah……”

Out of the blue, I was reminded of the Christmas event.

Or perhaps, Isshiki Iroha’s attempts at closing the distance between her and Hayama had had some sort of effect on the way Hayama currently is. As I thought of such a thing, Tobe, who had been a noisy ass even up till now suddenly became quiet.

“Ah, no, sorry. That was my bad just now. It was idiotic of me to try and stir up some form of gossip.”

“……That’s surprising.”

Tobe’s face looked bitter, as though he was disgusted with himself, and turned away from me. Those words that came out of his mouth were not directed at me, but rather to apologize to someone who wasn’t here.

The sincerity coming from him right now was so unlike his usual boisterous self.

Tobe was reflecting on his ill-disposed comments from earlier on and he scratched his neck in embarrassment.

“Irohasu, she’s really serious.  ……I think Hayato-kun thought it through properly before giving his answer eh?”

“Seriously thought about it, is it?

The truth is, Hayama probably did indeed give it some serious thought.

Surely, this was not just about Hayama, nor was it just about Isshiki, but it probably involved a lot of other things as well. That surely hasn’t changed since that school trip, no, probably much much earlier. Thus, that guy has probably been holding on to a lot of things, and have been dragged along by these things as well.

And of one out of the many things he was holding on to, now, this guy who was speaking so proudly of his friend was probably included amongst them.

“Well, this’s just how it is.  I mean, it’s Hayato-kun we’re talkin ‘bout here? He’s bound to do the right thing so as not to leave unpleasant memories for others, yea?

“…You trust him, huh?” I blurted out.
Tobe stared at me in amazement. “Nah, say what, that ain’t it, I think? Well, ya know, Hayato-kun is a pretty reliable fellow or somethin’?”
Seemingly embarrassed from the word “trust”, Tobe’s face turned red from the cold or his shyness while trying to rephrase his words. Hey, stop acting like that! I’m the one who’s getting embarrassed since I’m the one that brought it up!
Tobe hit his chest as if to get over his embarrassment and continued. “Nah, seriously, Hayato-kun’s totally helped me a ton of times. I’m totally sure about that.”
“That’s not something to be proud of…” I said.
Regardless, Tobe didn’t look ashamed. He groaned and repeatedly pulled at his nape hair. “Beeh, seriously, I’m indebted to the guy. Like totally.”
“Better pay him back eventually.”
“That’s totally it! Yeah… Well, I’m not so sure about that.”
His tone at first was frivolous, but the energy in it withered away as he continued speaking. Curious about his overly somber expression, I urged Tobe to go on with a look. Tobe then lightly scratched his cheeks.
“I talk to him about a lotta stuff… but Hayato-kun never really talks to me about anythin’ and even if he did, I probably wouldn’t get it,” said Tobe, grinning.
That grin of his was similar to the cold, dry wind that blew by from earlier. It was dry and somehow, lonely.
Since the silence afterwards was so awkward, I searched for words that I could possibly say and then suggested an idea. “…Yeah, think about this. He doesn’t have any problems, so that’s why he’s not consulting with you.”
“Totally that! Hayato-kun’s a total hotty, after all!”
“That’s kind of irrelevant here… Besides, you looked out for him at Destinyland, right? I’m sure that was pretty helpful for him back then, not that I’d know.”
“Totally that! Hayato-kun’s a total hotty, after all!”
This time his face had some relevance there… It looked like talking had lightened Tobe up and his running pace increased. He’d mumble “cold, cold” to himself whenever the freezing wind blew by us.
Eventually, we could see Oooka and Yamato ahead of us. Apparently they lowered their pace, finding it strange that Tobe didn’t chase after them.
“A’ight, I gotta chase those guys, so I’ll be goin’ on ahead.”
“Yeah,” I said, briefly.
Tobe made a chopping motion with his hand and made a wild sprint forward. He yelled out to Oooka and Yamato as he ran after them while waving. When the two of them saw him coming, they ran further ahead while going “Crap, here he comes!”, “Let’s get outta here!”
As long as Tobe was having fun chasing those two running away, that’s fine, I suppose…
But originally, there should’ve been one more person in that group. If he didn’t have to carry the luggage of expectations, I think he would’ve been laughing along with them.
After that thought went by in my head, I suddenly regretted the words I carelessly uttered earlier.
Because he didn’t consult with anyone, he didn’t have any problems; there’s no way that’d be true.

                         X                                                 X                                                     X

After Tobe had waved goodbye to me, I carried on jogging silently.

The boy’s route for the marathon was to encircle the huge area outside the school. The girls’ route is round the school’s interior. As a result, the two courses overlaps at just two areas, the main and side gate.

Since the girls ran half as far as the guys, by the time the guys reach these areas, most of the girls would have already ran past this point and disappeared. Of course, one’s running speed differed from individual to individual. Also, people’s willingness to do something varied as well.

That’s why, there are also cases where guys will overtake girls who ran so slowly that they appeared to be walking.

For example, like, right about now, the group of 3 girls right in front of me who were displaying their sorry sight of running ability……

“I mean, aren’t we quite a sorry bunch? We are like, super slooooww.”

“Yea, I know. I mean, aren’t marathons just horrible?”

“I know what you mean.”

“Definitely horrible. I have no strength to do this~.”

This bunch of people seemed like they were so engrossed in their conversation that nothing else from the surroundings entered their field of vision.

Ever since just now, this group of people had been blabbering non-stop about I, me, us, etc. What’s up with this cheerful spirit coming from this trio? Are they doing a trio manzai [14] act with the guitar and shamisen[15] going Jakajaka? [16]

My my, it’s good that you three are getting along extremely well. Indeed, but still, even if you three are the best of friends, you don’t have to stand by each other side by side! You see, when you do that, I can’t get past the three of you…  If I am going to close the distance between us, then there would be utmost feelings of gross and creepiness directed at me, which was something I have been worrying about since just now. Thus, I have been quite careful in maintaining my distance.  Ufufufu…….

I mean, the path is so freaking wide! Argh, this is becoming annoying. Especially the one in the middle of the trio. The one with the reddish short hair. It just has to be you…….

I glared at the back of her head, and some vague memory of her sprang into my mind.

Who could that be…… Well, it’s definitely not Kawasomething-san. Indeed, it’s someone original…… Shikuda? No, Segasami…… Nah, that’s not it…… Sagami?

Ah, yes, that’s it, Sagami.

The one in the same class as me, the one who was the former chairman of both the Cultural festival and Sports festival. The one and only one with such a prominent record, Sagamin, or rather, Sagami Minami.

I couldn’t remember anything about the other two though. PE lesson was conducted with a whole lot of other classes as well. Ah, well, they are probably from some other group. It seemed that Sagami was quite close to these two minor characters (mob).

Their appearances didn’t stand out like Miura or Kawasaki, but having said that, they weren’t especially cute either, and mob Ko probably came in about 8th or 9th in terms of cuteness in my class. Alright, from now on, Mob Ko, you shall be no.8 in cuteness! There was one more person, mob Mi, who’s just blehhh.

Mob Ko who had long since given up on running was now walking with her body slanted to one side, her hands swinging wildly, and went in the direction of Mob Mi and Sagami.

“Did you hear? That was one hell of a fight wasn’t it?”

“Ah, the one between Miura-san and Yuigahama-san!”

As expected of someone from my class! Just the aforementioned keyword, fight, was enough to have her guessing correctly that it was regarding the rumor.

“Yea, I know I know. What do you think really happened?”

Just as I thought, mob Ko was quite happy about this and taking a huge interest in it, and was now trying to blow up the matter.

Thereupon, Mob Mi had a know-it-all look on her face and began to talk.

“Ya know, I thought that she was a nice girl, but those types are the hardest to understand. [17] Isn’t she the type to go about sending Happy New Year texts?”

“Poi! That’s so Yuigahama-san like~poi! ”
Mob Ko stamped on the ground and burst into laughter. What’s up with the bunch of them going Poi poi? [18]

Are you trying to let me watch something like the Nightmare of Solomon? [19]

Towards Mob Ko’s big reaction, Mob Mi, was delighted and she sighed happily, letting out a white wisp of breath. Then, pretending to be an adult, she brushed her sidetail [20] once and gave a cynical smile.

“Saying that she’s a nice girl is…… somewhat……”

“I know, that right? Don’t you think so, Sagamin?”

“A, I agree!”

Whilst nodding her head, Mob Ko shook Sagami, and Sagami clapped her hands together, like a monkey holding cymbals, and exploded with laughter.

You bastards. Sagami or Okamoto, [21] whatever, I can’t remember which. What the hell are you saying now? You were singing a totally different tune when you asked Yuigahama for help during the Sports Festival.

What a shallow bunch, really shallow……

I gripped my fist to calm myself down.

Ah, now I get it. I’ve finally felt it at last.

Up until just now, I have completely forgotten about what Yukinoshita had said. Yukinoshita’s worry. It was something like this, isn’t it.

There wasn’t anyone who could handle human relations perfectly. It’s probably the same for Yuigahama as well. It’s just that, Yuigahama, being the kind-hearted girl she was, would do things in such a way so that people would see her as such. Definitely, this would tear apart somewhere. And thus, out of concern and kindness, there would be times where she would be brave and try and repair it.

However, be it the pointless rumors, the arbitrary gossips or the false rumors, all of them would just rip through these flaws ruthlessly. No matter how beautifully one tries to mend the hurt, all it does is leave behind ugly scars of destruction.

I am sure that Mob Ko and Mob Mi didn’t do this out of malice or enmity. If Yuigahama herself were here, they probably wouldn’t say such things.

However, right now, it was just friends having an idle chat and enjoying themselves. It was the feeling that I had yesterday when I saw a TV program discussing about current trending sweets. That it was no more than a topic that was blown out of proportion.

The proof of that, was that Mob Ko’s tone was extremely light-hearted.

“Miura-san’s group sure is harsh huh? To be NTR’ed and to NTR [22]. There’s bound to be trouble, don’t you think?”

Mob Ko said that lightheartedly, guessing that the events will unfold like some novels or drama series.

Mob Mi agreed, nodding her head with a smile.

However, what was surprising was the action of that last person.

The one who didn’t nod her head.

“Ah, ah, …… Hmmm.”

Minami had a difficult expression on her and she vaguely tried to join in the conversation.

“But, Yui-chan isn’t like that, I think.”

“Huh?!!”

Mob Ko couldn’t help exclaiming when she heard such an unexpected answer. Mob Mi too, also looked like someone had just poured cold water on her. With a sigh, she looked at Sagami for an explanation. Being sensitive to the duo’s reactions, Sagami quickly followed up with a reply.

“Ah, you see, At times like this, I think she just had to yield or be more mindful. It’s just girls’ politics, ya know?”

As she said that, Mob Ko and Mob Mi interjected her somewhere with “ahhhhh”. It seems like that they have somewhat reached a consensus. What peculiar voices from them……

“Well, so it’s like that. Ah but you know, Miura-san is totally scary!”

“I know just what you mean!  If she does indeed end up with Hayama-kun, then it’s better to just exit this contest. The risk and returns are not worth it for this level of rumors!”

Mob Ko’s response sounded stupid but Mob MI was every bit the scary……

Nonetheless, it would appear that this ‘girl politics’ that Sagami spoke about was a keyword that seemed to have tugged at the heartstrings of both of them. The end result is that at least Yuigahama’s time as the source of their idle chat had come to an end.

Oi oi, that’s amazing, Sagami. Although I can’t really feel that you have grown as a person, but I definitely felt the darkness of the girl power going up.

And then, scarily enough, that girl power darkness continued with its follow-up just right after the previous topic.

“I mean, don’t you all think it would be kind of unexpected if Hayama-kun started going out with a girl?”

Just as the topic was going to change, Sagami seized the perfect opportunity to toss in a new topic.

Thereupon, Mob Ko and Mob Mi really accepted it.

“Ah, ya.”

“You are right.”

Both of them nodded their heads. Then, Mob Ko muttered out something in bits and pieces in between clicks of her tongue.

“Nice face……”

“Nah, her chest…….”

Mob Mi had a vacant smile for some reason.

“Crap, we have neither of those……”

To those masochistic words from Sagami, both Mob Ko and Mob Mi played along with her, trying to draw some laughs from her. Well then, at the corner right ahead where the girl’s path split, I will be bidding farewell and disappearing from you overly cheerful and noisy bunch.

Thanks to the corner, I could finally rid myself of these obstacles that were once in front of me and once again pick up my pace to that of a normal running one.

As the cold wind teased my cheeks, I begin to think about the conversation that Sagami had just now.

That sort of talk just now, it was definitely not only limited to Sagami’s group. To a greater or lesser extent, the people who were worried about Hayama were probably having a similar conversation as well. And that’s just it, in the case of Hayama and his friends, if Oooka and Yamato could just talk about it without worrying so much, I am sure that the chat would just be a light-hearted one.

Be it someone popular, someone loved by all, or someone cute, they will always be talked about as long as the actual person isn’t there.

Nevertheless, the gossips and rumors accelerated this process a lot.

Even if we discount Sagami from earlier, there would be those who, on the spur of the moment, bad-mouth Yuigahama despite not actually harboring any ill-feelings towards her.

Right now, this is just merely idle chatter.

However, too many people getting into the mood would also be a bad thing. Sooner or later, instead of peer pressure, people would be liable to succumb to the will of the masses. This is all really stupid. Whilst being ostracized or teased is an unexpected outcome, but there was indeed such a possibility that some things could develop into a point of no return.

As much as possible, as soon as possible, I want to bring all this to an end.

The wind that blew from the shadows of the buildings were cold and the goal I am aiming for was still far away. Owing to the fact that I have been running under the cold weather for so long, my hands were more or less completely numb. In an attempt to deliver warmth to them, I gripped my fists tightly.


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[1] Words from one of Japan’s PM, Junichiro Koizumi. He also has a very unique hairstyle.
[2] Rurouni Kenshin
[3] キョロ充 (Usually) a loner who’s constantly looking for a group to join and belong to, even though no one wants him.
[4] Japan has waifu wars each cour too ya know?
[5] The actual idiom, is 人の噂も七十五日. Rumors last just 75 days.
[6] Hamtaro – Cute sound Hamtaro makes.
[7] The Story of Little Black Sambo
[8] Brazillian Carnival – Three idiots (sanbaka) and Samba Carnival (Sanbakaanibaru)
[9] Rockbomb – Dragon Quest monsters also known as bombcrags.
[10] Image search this -> アヘ顔 for plot. (I.E. eyes rolled up, tongue sticking out. NOT necessarily sexual) (Warning: Pictures can be NSFW)
[11] Image search this ->ダブルピース
[12] Mystery hunter, Neneko-chan from Yumeria. She considers everything a mystery.
[13] Not sure where this originated from, but am just going to leave it as one of FF9 BGM.
[14] Manzai is a comedy act between two people.
[15] Three-stringed Japanese lute.
[16] K-On! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCgrZqQw2Tw
[17] 2ch slang; 闇深い from なお闇は深い模様. Meaning is something along the lines of something being so over-complicated that it’s ridiculously hard to understand.
[18] Kancolle- Yuudachi
[19] Yuudachi/Nightmare of Solomon Islands, google to see the whole long story.
[20]Hairstyle:image search that.
[21] I don’t really get the reference for this. But Sagami and Okamoto are both brands of condoms in Japan. Incidentally, Sagami’s CV did voice a character called Okamoto, but I can’t find any relevance.
[22] For those pure and innocent ones: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=NTR