“Are you preparing for the special exam?” I asked. “I thought I’d at least make sure that you’re not trying to engage in some idiotic underhanded scheme, like what you did to Ichinose’s class in the past.”
For the End-of-Year Special Exam, we would be penalized based on the number of students absent on the day of the exam. With that in mind, there was a nonzero chance he’d find a method to weaken his opponent in advance.
“I’m guessing you remember what you said to me that one time. You said I had to ‘grow more and get better.’ Somethin’ like that,” said Ryuuen.
“I’m tempted to respond to that with something like ‘because it was true’,” I replied.
He snickered at my unreserved statement, and then Ryuuen’s gaze became even sharper.
“I’m gonna show you and Sakayanagi my serious side. May not be fittin’ for me, but I’m gonna win fair and square,” declared Ryuuen.
“As proclamations go, that was splendid. Although, if that was a bluff, you’re saying it to the wrong person. Also, even if you’ve promised fairness, I don’t trust what you’ve said at all. Nor will I convey what you’ve said here to Sakayanagi,” I replied, asserting that this wasn’t going to serve as an opening move for him to get his opponent to drop her guard.
“Yeah, figured as much. Which is exactly why it makes sense,” said Ryuuen.
“I see. So if we turn that around, you mean it gives credibility to your statement that you’ll be putting up a fair fight, then?” I asked.
It seemed like you could say this was a good example of how things could change depending on the angle from which you look at them.
“I don’t really need to tell anyone else, as long as you know it,” said Ryuuen.
“If that’s what you mean, I understand,” I answered. Ryuuen was free to decide whether or not to engage in underhanded dealings in the shadows, of course, but the statement he just made would determine how I would view and evaluate him in the future.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re feeling any pressure or anxiety.”
Ryuuen responded with a light wave of his hand, gesturing, “As if. There’s no way I would be.”
“In that case, I’ll let you show me. Show me what happens when you go head-to-head against Sakayanagi,” I announced.
I got up from my seat and turned my back on Ryuuen.
“Ayanokouji, aren’t ya gonna be a representative in the exam?” asked Ryuuen.
“Is that what you’re wondering about? What I do this time doesn’t matter to you,” I replied.
“Your opponent’s only Ichinose, sure. Normally, ya wouldn’t need to go out of your way to do anythin’. But that woman’s gettin’ the stench of a beast on her now. It’s growin’ more pungent. She might bite and tear Horikita to shreds, chomp her bones and all,” said Ryuuen.
He didn’t sound like he was joking, so perhaps something had happened somewhere, sometime, to make him sincerely believe that.
“The fact is, it’s not my class’s policy at the moment for me to take to the stage,” I replied.
When I said that, Ryuuen snorted lightly. “Well, whatever. It’s more convenient for me if your class loses anyway.”
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like he was going to try to splash me with the juice after all, which was a relief.
3.3
AFTER LEAVING THE KARAOKE ROOM where I met Ryuuen, I stopped to take a breather outside the building. It’s getting pretty late. It’s probably time for me to head back. With that thought, I decided to stop by one more place. The probability of running into someone at this time of day wasn’t high, but there were a few other people I wanted to meet aside from the leaders of each class. I headed for a place where I often saw one of them.
She would come all the way to the rest area on the second floor. I suppose I should say that she didn’t betray my expectations, or something along those lines, because the person I was looking for was indeed there. I stood in front of one of the several vending machines that were lined up, making a show of choosing a product, while looking at the sample bottles and cans lined up.
“So, how have things been with Sakayanagi since then?” I asked, muttering as though I was just talking to myself.
After a short pause, a quiet reply came in response.
“…Hello. I’ve had more opportunities to talk with her since then.”
“That’s good. You still like this place even though your relationship has improved, huh?” I remarked.
“It’s calming. Besides, I’m still not, well, good at dealing with people, after all.”
I continued to stand in the same position, listening to the words coming from the gap between the vending machines.
“Time alone is important too,” I remarked. “I understand that very well.”
You could feel like you had trouble catching your breath when you were always surrounded by lots of people, after all.
“Is this a coincidence…?” asked Yamamura. “You coming here?”
“I came by thinking it would be nice if you were here, Yamamura. Actually, to tell you the truth, there is one thing I’d like to know,” I replied.
“Something…you’d like to know?” she asked.
Just to be safe, I carefully reaffirmed that no one else was around, and then I told her what it was that I wanted to know from her. After I finished, Yamamura was silent for a brief moment, as though she were reflecting upon the meaning of my question.
“Why…did you come to me to ask…?” asked Yamamura.
“Because I thought that you would know the most about what’s going on in that regard, Yamamura. Or am I mistaken in that assessment?” I asked.
“…Well, I… I’m not sure what to say,” said Yamamura.
If she didn’t know the answer that I was looking for, then she could’ve just said so. However, she avoided making a clear statement, as if she were trying to dodge the question. Which had to mean that she did have some kind of answer.
“I already have a few people in mind. But I want something to help me narrow it down,” I added.