“That’s why I decided to resist. I wanted to bring to light this school’s flaws, show how awful the environment is, and demand reform. I figured it would make the place better.”
“…That’s why you’ve been staging these attacks?”
“Yes, exactly.” Nanaougi nodded confidently. “It’s a classic con. My attacks directly targeted the school’s failings. The only way to stop the attacks would be for the school to change. I was trying to put that idea in your head, Ms. Ookuma. Hoping you’d see the dangers and urge for reforms from within.”
“No… Wait… If you wanted reform…” Ookuma’s eyes swam. She was confused. “…Why come to me? There’s lots of other teachers.”
“Someone who’s taught here for years and gotten used to things wouldn’t lift a finger to change it.”
“…I—I guess that makes sense…” Ookuma nodded a couple times. She muttered, “But isn’t this a little much?” Still, she seemed to see the logic.
This would do. As long as we’d convinced her, that meant we’d cleared stage one.
Nanaougi’s fake story went like this: She’d staged attacks targeting the school’s failings to raise awareness of them. Then she’d approached a new teacher—Ookuma—demanding help with the unrest in the hopes of prompting reform.
Feeding this story to Ookuma was all a setup. The real test came next. Would Nanaougi be able to talk her into joining us?
She let out a dramatic sigh and shrugged—all theater. “But I’m afraid talking to you got me absolutely nowhere.”
“…!”
“I waited and waited, but the classes and faculty stayed exactly the same.”
Ookuma hung her head and bit her lip. “That’s not true,” she said. Her shoulders quivered, and her voice was hoarse. “I tried to keep order.”
“You set up patrols. But that was just addressing the symptoms. You didn’t do a thing about the real problem—the school’s systematic abuse and discrimination.”
“Well… Maybe I didn’t, but…”
“You made empty promises and didn’t try to change the school at all. You’re well aware of how dark this place is. You know it’s messed up, and yet you pretended not to see.”
“I didn’t…! I did what I could…!”
Even from our places at the doors, Kurumi and I could tell her breathing was getting shallow. Her gasps echoed through the dimly lit room.
“You didn’t. You haven’t acted as you should have—not as a teacher, or as a grown-up.”
“…Stop.”
“You know how wrong it all is, but you let the school and your bosses control you. How many students have you hurled abuse at? Think back.”
“…Don’t do this…!”
“I’ll be honest, I’m disappointed in you. I didn’t think it was possible to be such a common, useless adult at your age. Deplorable. Truly deplorable.”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh! Stop! Don’t say that! Don’t blame me for this! Hah…hahhh… Cough, cough… Urppp…”
She was coughing and spluttering, but Nanaougi was merciless.
“I thought you’d get it, Ms. Ookuma. But you’re just like the others. Just one more piece of crap in this toilet of a school.”
“I don’t want to scream at students! I choose my words carefully and try not to be too mean—and I don’t take it out on their possessions like the other teachers do!”
“You know full well how messed up the others are, screaming anything and everything at students, breaking their belongings… But you pretend not to notice. What good is that?”
“No! I mean… I mean… What can I do? New hires can’t do anything!”
“And you call yourself a teacher? You call yourself an adult?”
“I know! I know that none of this is right! This horrible school has no right to exist! I know that better than anyone! Aughhhhhh!”
Ookuma clenched her jaw and grabbed fistfuls of her hair. She’d been wearing the mask of a teacher, and now it came tumbling away. It was downright terrifying how accurately Nanaougi had predicted this.
“I can’t…stop it! What do you want from me?! Why come after me?! Did you just bring me here to tell me how disappointed you are?”
“Ha-ha. Don’t be silly. Of course not.” Nanaougi got up and stepped closer. She held a hand out to Ookuma—just like Kurumi had done to me. “Ms. Ookuma, I want you to join me.”
“Hahh…hahh… Huh? Join you? How?”
“I’m leading a resistance to change this school. And I want you to help.”
Ookuma froze, eyes wide.
Ten seconds passed, then twenty. She sat there, frozen, there for some time.
But she couldn’t stay that way forever. When she started breathing again, she was shaking her head.
“Th-that’s ridiculous. Nonsense!”
“Oh? You won’t lift a finger for your students? You know how messed up this school is, but you won’t work to change it? When it comes down to it, you refuse to help, huh? You really are a shitty adult.”
Ookuma’s face crumpled again. “Why would you even want my help?!”
“If I had a teacher on my side, I could stage even bigger attacks. Big enough to shake the higher ups—the whole system. I could finally force the school to change.” Nanaougi’s smile radiated confidence. It was like she’d already won. She thrust out her hand again. “Make up for your sins. Join my resistance and change this school.”
“…Hng… Hahh…hahh……”
“I know you hate this place, too, Ms. Ookuma. Help me.”
Ookuma’s eyes were all the way open, almost bugging out as she stared up at Nanaougi. She must be seeing spots before her eyes. The school’s darkness had crushed her, and Nanaougi had chased her into a corner. She probably didn’t know which way was up anymore.
Now that Nanaougi had reminded her of who was right and who was wrong, could she find it in herself to cast out reason and join us?
Nanaougi’s whole plan came down to this.
And finally, Ookuma gave her answer.
“…Ha-ha. What are you talking about, Nanaougi? That’s not even funny.” She gave a hollow, empty chuckle. “Help your resistance? Why would I do something so stupid? Have you lost your mind?”
“Oh, please, Ms. Ookuma. Are you still stuck on that? You know—”
“There’s plenty of students working their butts off here! You and your silly games are harming them! Uh…like the student council! They’re good kids!”
That line made Nanaougi flinch.
Ookuma didn’t notice, she just kept running her mouth. “You’re in a good class, Nanaougi. Drop this nonsense and get back to your studies. Please. The whole second year is depending on you, and I’m not even exaggerating. You know that!”
“……”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear any of this. Just go back to being a regular student. Got it?”
Acting like she’d recovered her composure, Ookuma gently pushed Nanaougi’s hand aside. “You’re in high school now. Don’t like it? Too bad. Deal with it. It’s time to grow up.”
She got to her feet and sailed right past us.
“You two,” she said, turning to us, “don’t let her talk you into any more foolishness.”
Then she pushed me aside and left the room. Her footsteps vanished down the hall, leaving only silence.
Nanaougi hadn’t moved since she first flinched.
“…Nanaougi?” I called. It was as if she’d only just remembered how to breathe.
“Ah… Sorry, I lost her,” she muttered, glancing at the open door and shrugging helplessly.
It was now official: The plan Nanaougi had worked on all summer had ended in failure.