『』『』『』『』『』
"Then, what do you plan to do for the Sports Festival? There's no way you would do nothing all day long, right?" asked Kushida.
Even though she was certain Kumagawa wouldn't interfere directly with her own plans, she still had no idea what he intended to do on the Sports Festival, she was fairly certain he would end up screwing over someone during the festival.
After spending time with Kumagawa, she had already formed several preconceptions about him. One of them was that, with or without reason, deliberate or not, someone would definitely be harmed by him in some way.
And during the Sports Festival, there was a high chance that such a person would appear again.
『Hey now, what's with that look? You're staring at me like I'm some pitiful, low-life creature who brings misfortune to everyone around him. 』
"..."
Even though the phrasing was awful, it was still terrible that he described himself that way so casually.
But in the end, no metaphor fit him better.
"Pitiful aside, in my eyes, you're no different from a Great Demon Lord scheming for world domination, Kumagawa-kun."
Kumagawa laughed.
But rather than laughing, it sounded more like he was ridiculing her.
『Kushida-chan, are you comparing me to an RPG or some other game character? I didn't know you had that kind of knowledge about games. I really didn't realize it. 』
"And whose fault do you think that is?"
『It's not my fault. 』Kumagawa said with a smile.
"....."
Because of him, Kushida had recently become interested in games like Dragon Quest and other RPGs. She had even spent her points to buy several titles to play in her free time.
Alone, of course.
Thanks to her sudden increase in points, she bought multiple game consoles. Sometimes she played with Kumagawa, thinking she might enjoy it, but his playstyle gave her more headaches than fun. So, in the end, she decided to play alone when she had time.
Surprisingly, it was pleasant playing games by herself.
In the past, she never spent her time like this. She always focused on her social life, making sure she was seen and involved. It wasn't like she had never played games before, but this was probably the first time she genuinely enjoyed it.
She even wondered if this was what Kumagawa usually felt whenever he spent his time reading Jump magazine alone.
It seemed that spending time with Kumagawa had been affecting her in more ways than one, but that didn't mean it was unpleasant. In fact, it felt strangely addicting.
Of course, she never mentioned her new hobby to her friends. She didn't want anyone to know, especially the three idiots. If they found out, they would definitely bother her with all sorts of excuses, so she preferred to keep it hidden.
"Anyway, do you really not have any plan for the festival? Are you not going to participate at all? Just answer the damn question already."
She felt like she had asked the same thing several times. Yet she never got a proper answer.
『Hey, hey, why are you getting angry all of a sudden? Don't tell me you are still trying to convince me to do my best in the sports festival? 』
"I'm just confirming it for the last time. Whether you participate or not isn't really my problem. I honestly don't care. And just so you know, even though I'm pretty rotten inside, I'm still the type of girl who carries out the role she's given perfectly."
She looked rather proud and confident about that part of herself. Unfortunately, the person standing before her was Kumagawa, and he immediately trampled on that confidence.
『... Doesn't that mean you're a perfectly rotten person? 』
"Hah? What did you just say?!"
『I mean, if you're that good at doing your job, then doesn't that also mean you're really good at being rotten too? Isn't that the kind of person you are? 』
Kushida's eyes narrowed.
"You wanna die? Kumagawa-kun."
『Of course I don't want to die. Definitely not. 』 Kumagawa replied, composed to the very end.
Even though she perfectly understood her own shortcomings and her rotten personality, that didn't mean she was comfortable with someone pointing it out so bluntly.
There had to be some kind of bottom line. She was practically walking a tightrope in this school. If she made even one misstep, her entire persona could crumble, and she absolutely couldn't allow that.
『Ahaha, don't make that kind of frowning face, Kushida-chan. Don't they say that the more you frown, the closer you are to death? 』
Kushida let out a quiet breath before answering.
"The saying is 'the more you frown, the sooner you get wrinkles.' In other words, you look old faster. Don't twist it into something creepy like that."
『Aghhh! Don't always nitpick everything I say, what is wrong with you!?』
"..."
He got mad.
Kushida suddenly felt a wave of vertigo coming her way. She didn't really understand the cycle of his emotional outbursts. But instead of stopping his sudden tantrum, she simply looked at him like he was a bug lying upside down, trying to flip himself over.
Sooner or later, he would stop on his own.
『Anyway Kushida-chan.... 』
And just like that, his tantrum vanished.
Like it never happened.
No matter how many times she watched it, it was intriguing. His emotional swings aside, the way Kumagawa could turn his personality on and off was something she genuinely admired. Even if the idea of having a personality switch was disgusting, it was still impressive.
In her case, while she could control her own emotions easily, something like an on-and-off switch wasn't something she could recreate. Even if she wanted to, the thought alone felt unpleasant.
『It's pointless to force people to "do their best." Most of the time, people only say that when they're trying really hard "not to do their best." 』
"Eh? Were you trying to make a joke about 'doing your best'? Why would you go out of your way to make trouble for yourself like that?"
『Well, you see, if I keep going with gags that are absolutely hilarious, then that'll just become the new norm. Sometimes I need to toss out something unfunny to reset the rhythm. Even pitchers need to mix up their throws, right? If he only throws fastballs, the batter will eventually catch on. 』
"I don't think you generally had any gags that were hilarious, though... Normally everyone cringes at them, you know?"
Although, to be fair, if it wasn't normal comedy but self-deprecating, surreal gags, then in Kushida's opinion, nobody did it better than Kumagawa. The one earlier was probably one of those. She decided to leave it at that.
"Anyway, you don't plan to do your best, right? Then that's what I'll tell Hirata-kun."
『That's right, tell him that, Kushida-chan. Even if the others hate me for it, I'm sure Hirata-kun wouldn't mind. We're friends after all. 』
"Uh-huh..."
Kushida didn't know what he meant by that, but it didn't sound good. And because of that, she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Hirata.
『So, what do you want to do next, Kushida-chan? 』
"What do you mean?"
『I have Dragon Quest IX to finish. Even if it's you, I don't mind playing co-op. 』
"..."
Even though she didn't want to spend more time with Kumagawa than necessary, the moment he mentioned Dragon Quest, Kushida was tempted. Her addiction was clearly getting worse.
"...If we play," she said cautiously, "can you at least not do that annoying 'Suicidal Hero' thing of yours?"
Kumagawa tilted his head, as if hearing it for the first time, which only irritated her further.
"You know... where you rush headfirst into mobs like some brainless berserker, and then I spend the whole time healing you instead of the party? It drags the battle out, and I'm the one who has to deal with the mess while you lie dead on the floor. It's a burden, you know?"
『Ahaha, that's just impossible, Kushida-chan. If I stop doing that, then with all the premeditated intent I have, all I'd be good for is slaughtering enemies. And if I'm not dying once in a while, doesn't that just make me a voluntary manslaughterer instead? 』
"There's no such thing as voluntary manslaughter if you have the 'intent'. That's just murder, you know?"
『Huh? I don't really care to understand a complex concept like that. Basically, whether it's an accident or on purpose, whether it's involuntary or voluntary, someone still ends up dead. So why are you nitpicking me in this kind of situation?』
"....."
Kushida didn't have the energy to explain the difference anymore.
『But since it's you, Kushida-chan, I don't mind trying another playstyle. Go ahead! Order me all you want!』
Kushida looked at him with disgust.
But in the end, she accepted his invitation. The temptation to play Dragon Quest was too strong for a beginner like her. Besides, whether she spent time with him or not, she was already too deep into her role and their relationship.
There was no point in avoiding him anymore.
Yep, it's all over for her anyway.
『』『』『』『』『』
On the other side of the dorm, right after Kumagawa left the classroom, Ayanokouji headed in a different direction to meet a certain someone.
Upon descending the stairs, he saw Karuizawa already waiting for him alone by the main entrance.
"You look like you have a question to ask," he said.
"That message you sent me... what are your real intentions?"
She held out her phone. The text displayed on the screen read: No matter what, object to Horikita's plan. Then ask Kushida for her opinion.
He had instructed Karuizawa to do that right in the middle of class.
"When it comes to improvising, you're surprisingly quick on your feet. You did well," he told her.
"Really? Because I actually agreed with Horikita-san's plan. And I still don't understand why you made me bring up Kushida-san. What are you playing at?"
"If you worry over every little thing I do, you'll never know peace. Besides, I have no obligation to answer all your questions. Understand?"
"So I should just do as I'm told, like a loyal dog, and never ask why. Got it."
"Exactly."
Karuizawa looked displeased, but she was sensible enough not to push further.
"One more thing," she said. "You didn't raise your hand. Which choice did you think was right?"
"They could both be right. It all depends on the person."
"That's not an answer. You never actually said what you were thinking."
"I have a policy of ignoring questions trapped in the limited 'either-or' binary," he said.
"Huh? I don't get you at all. What do you even want? Are you trying to cause trouble for everyone?"
"If we're talking about causing trouble for everyone, then you should talk to Kumagawa about it.
"....."
Karuizawa fell silent.
She was still a little scared of Kumagawa, and she was consciously trying not to mention him whenever she could. Ayanokouji, however, didn't care whether it made her uneasy or not.
But it would be better if she could solve her own problem with Kumagawa. Ayanokouji was unwilling, yet he knew it was inevitable. His plan would force her to have contact with Kumagawa sooner or later.
"All you need to know for now is that I'm taking several precautions for our class. And to make you believe me down the line, I'll tell you one thing. One of our classmates will betray us during this sports festival. They'll leak information from inside our class," Ayanokouji said.
"Wait, what?! Are you being serious right now?!" Karuizawa stared at him.
"When the time comes, you'll understand. What I'm seeing. What I can see."
"Huh?! Tell me what's going on!"
"I can't right now. But when the time comes, I will. For now, you should go. We're drawing too much attention."
"You don't need to tell me that. If someone sees me talking with a weirdo like you, my social cred will plummet. But... even if someone betrays the class, we'll be okay. Right?" she asked.
"Yes. I've prepared."
Ayanokouji showed her his phone, though she probably didn't understand the meaning behind it. Looking dissatisfied, Karuizawa turned and walked away. He watched her go and let out a small sigh. Class D's strategy was already in motion, and so was his own plan.
Now then, Ayanokouji wondered what Class A had in mind. Considering Ichinose's personality, their strategy would be solid and more inclusive. But that didn't make them allies. If it were the previous Ichinose, he could more or less guess her plan, but because of Kumagawa, things had changed. Right now, Ichinose was in the middle of her own growth. Ayanokouji decided to be more careful around her.
Remembering Kumagawa's face, Ayanokouji felt a brief wave of vertigo. This was the first time in his life he had ever worried about someone's existence, and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. Whenever he thought of making a move, there was a deep sense that it would end badly.
But that aside, what Ayanokouji worried about right now were Ryuen and Sakayanagi.
Ryuen was self-explanatory. The real problem was Sakayanagi.
Ayanokouji doubted she would directly participate in the sports festival. Katsuragi would probably lead Class A for now.
Imagine a hypothetical situation with two people and only one lifesaving tool—a life jacket, for example. Only one of them can live. One person is able-bodied, the other disabled. Both have the right to live, but if the able-bodied person chose to save themselves, they could take the jacket by force with ease.
The world is cruel. A crisis tends to bring out the worst in people.
That said, just because Sakayanagi wasn't physically active didn't mean she was harmless. Katsuragi had absolutely no worth besides being a substitute for her on the field.
"Even so..."
Karuizawa was better at reading people than he expected, probably because of her past. More than anything, the fact that she could carefully craft her public image earned her high marks. Satisfied with the completion of some unexpected business, Ayanokouji decided to head back.
『』『』『』『』『』
There was a lot to do before the sports festival, even beyond choosing the participants. Class D needed to practice marching on and off the grounds, for example. Everything had to go smoothly. Their physical education classes turned into free periods from here on, giving students permission to practice however they liked.
"I borrowed this."
The next day, during P.E., Hirata arrived with four grip-strength meter he'd requested from the school.
Following Horikita's plan, they would prioritize ability above everything else. The device wasn't complicated, but it was more than enough. Many of the boys' events would rely purely on physical power.
"Okay, let's line up. We'll measure the grip strength of our dominant hand. I'll record the results. I borrowed two of these, so we can split up to save time."
Hirata handed two devices to the students standing beside him: Hondou on his left and Yukimura on his right. He also gave the other two devices to Horikita so she could distribute them to the girls' side.
It looked like he planned to have one device passed clockwise and the other counterclockwise to speed things up. However, Sudou, who didn't seem satisfied with that, grabbed one of them for himself.
"Let's start with me, Hirata. That'll set a high standard," Sudou said. His reasoning didn't make any sense, so he probably just wanted to show off.
"Um... all right. Then let's have Sotomura-kun stand next to you and measure his at the same time," replied Hirata.
With that, the starting point was forcibly moved. Sudou let out a confident laugh, acting like the strongest person in the room.
"Watch closely, Kumagawa. This is what a real man looks like. Uraaah!"
His shoulders trembled as he squeezed the device with his right hand. The numbers on the digital display climbed rapidly. In seconds, it passed 50, then 60, then 70. The final number settled at 82.4 kilograms. The students around him erupted.
"What the heck, dude? You're stupidly strong!"
"Heh. It's just because I train all the time. Only natural. Hey, come on. You do it, Kumagawa." Sudou flashed his score toward Kumagawa, almost as if provoking him on purpose.
After what happened yesterday in class, Sudou had started developing a faint antagonistic feeling toward Kumagawa. It wasn't strong enough to call hostility yet, but deep down, he felt a bit humiliated. That lingering frustration pushed him to act like this without even realizing it.
Only a few sharp people in class noticed Sudou's subtle change, and Ayanokouji was one of them.
Ayanokouji glanced at Kumagawa, who didn't seem to care about the provocation at all.
『Hmm? I'll pass. Just give it to someone else.』
Even though Kumagawa answered with a smile, Ayanokouji couldn't tell if it was mocking Sudou or hiding something else. No matter how he looked at it, the only word that came to his mind to describe Kumagawa's smile was hollow.
"What? You scared of losing to me or something? Guess that's understandable after seeing what I can do. Heh!"
It was an obvious jab, but Kumagawa didn't seem the least bit bothered. He responded in a way that only irritated Sudou further.
『What a touching story. 』
Sudou was a natural meathead with a short temper, someone who acted first and thought later. And Kumagawa... well, Kumagawa was repulsive in a way that could annoy anyone without even trying. When it came to irritation, there was probably no one in the school who could outmatch him.
Even Ayanokouji himself who can proudly said that he's not the type of person that can be easily annoyed, sometimes feel that he need to punch Kummagawa once in a while.
In the end, Sudou could only click his tongue in frustration.
"...Tch. Oh, hey. Ayanokouji."
Sudou shoved the device into his hand.
"No thanks. I'll do it later."
"Huh? Come on, don't mess around. We gotta do it in order."
Ayanokouji would've preferred not to hear that from the guy who had stolen his turn in the first place. Still, it was true he was next in line. He couldn't say he was excited about it, though.
82.4 kilograms was a pretty high number. He wondered what the average was for a first-year high school student. He had used grip strength meters hundreds of times before, but never bothered to check his age group's average. He only had his own records, which weren't useful for comparison.
"Hey, Sudou. What do you think the average would be for a high school student?" he asked.
"Huh? I dunno. Maybe, like, around 60?"
"Around 60, huh?"
Ayanokouji grasped the grip strength device so that he could see the monitor clearly.
Grip strength wasn't simply proportional to the thickness of someone's arm, though of course, it wasn't completely unrelated either. The important parts were the forearm muscles, like the 'flexor carpi radialis' and the 'brachioradialis'. When those muscles contracted, they pulled on the tendons and bent the fingers.
If a person trained long enough, depending on their build, they could even exceed 100 kilograms of grip strength. But that took years of focused training.
He tightened his grip on the lever, slowly applying force. When the number passed 44, he made a subtle adjustment. When it passed 55, he adjusted again. And once it reached just slightly over 60, he stopped adding strength altogether.
"That's it. I can't go any further."
He let go of the device and handed it over to Ike, who was next. Then he walked over to Hirata to report his result.
"My grip strength was 60.6," he said casually.
"Heh. You're pretty strong, Ayanokouji-kun," Hirata replied with an impressed smile.
"Huh? Was it really that good? Wait, isn't that around average?"
"I think the average is lower than that, actually. Maybe around 45 or 50?" Hirata thought aloud.
"Hirataaaa, I got 42.6. Can you give me a few tiny bonus points and make it 50?" Ike asked. It wasn't a tiny request at all.
Hirata smiled wryly and wrote down 42.6 in his notebook. Sotomura scored 42, and Miyamoto, who went after him, got 48. There were a lot of people under 50.
"I see. So, 60 was high, then."
Ayanokouji shouldn't have asked someone like Sudou about the average. Though to be fair, Sudou probably wouldn't know it anyway. He had expected that placing himself neatly in the middle would let him avoid getting dragged into the recommended-participant events.
Instead, it looked like he had made a serious miscalculation. At this rate, he might be forced to take part.
Ayanokouji quietly began searching for a way out. If he stayed at 60.6, he would definitely be placed in some event. And if he wanted to avoid standing out, he needed someone stronger to push him out of the recommended slots.
He racked his brain for someone who could do that.
Within a few seconds, only one candidate came to mind.
Someone other than Kouenji who was far stronger than he looked.
His eyes naturally drifted toward that person.
Unfortunately, the person in question didn't show the slightest interest in the test.
Kumagawa simply stood there with a bored expression, as if this entire situation had nothing to do with him. If Ayanokouji wanted results, he'd have to find a way to persuade him.
That, however... definitely wouldn't be easy.
But it wasn't impossible.
Ayanokouji shifted his gaze toward the girls' side.
Horikita was handling the measurements there, while Kushida and Karuizawa occasionally helped from the side. As the "voice" of the girls in Class D, it was natural for both of them to assist.
But his attention settled on one person.
Kushida.
If there was anyone in the class who could persuade Kumagawa to do something, it was probably her. Their relationship had gotten closer lately, at least in the eyes of the school, since everyone believed they were childhood friends. Compared to him, Kushida had a much higher success rate at getting Kumagawa to cooperate.
He approached her quietly.
"Kushida. Can I talk to you for a bit?"
She turned to him with her usual bright smile. "What's wrong, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"I want to ask you about something... regarding the grip strength test."
"Hmm? What about the test?" She tilted her head slightly.
Ayanokouji glanced once more at Kumagawa, who looked like he would die before participating. That expression probably wasn't literal, but with Kumagawa, it was hard to say for sure.
"I want him to take the measurement," said Ayanokouji.
"Kumagawa-kun? Why? He already said he's skipping. And he's not the type to help the class anyway. Even if I ask him, he'll just give one of his strange excuses." Kushida sounded genuinely skeptical.
"That's true," said Ayanokouji. "But you probably have the best chance of getting him to participate."
"I don't mind at all, but... is there a reason you want him to participate that much?"
"....."
Ayanokouji paused.
This was the troublesome part.
He couldn't tell her he needed someone stronger than him to mask his score. That would raise questions he didn't want to deal with. And Kushida was one of the last people he wanted suspicious of him. Their relationship was already fragile, especially when he knew her secret. The only advantage was that she didn't know anything about him, so he could choose his words carefully.
He took the safer approach.
"In terms of pure physical ability, he's one of the few who can balance out Sudou and Kouenji. If we don't want to rely too heavily on those two, we need more strong participants."
"...Are you saying Kumagawa-kun is on par with Kouenji-kun and Sudou-kun in terms of strength?"
Kushida looked at him like he had just said something absurd. And normally, he would have agreed. Most of the class assumed Kumagawa had decent agility but nothing else. There was no reason to believe otherwise.
But Ayanokouji remembered that day on the island, in the rain.
Kumagawa's durability, the way he moved, the way he took damage—those weren't things a normal person could imitate.
In terms of raw durability alone, Ayanokouji honestly believed Kumagawa surpassed him.
That was more than enough reason to get him involved.
"You maybe don't pay attention to it," Ayanokouji said in a matter-of-fact tone. "But during the island exam, he showed more athletic ability than people give him credit for. He climbed a tree without struggling, and he moved around easily even though the ground was wet and slippery. Considering all that, I don't think it's strange to say he's capable."
Kushida pressed a finger to her cheek, thinking it over. "Hmm... I guess he did move a lot during the island exam, but..."
She still wasn't convinced. That much was obvious. Most of the class barely remembered Kumagawa doing anything noteworthy back then, aside from the way he abused and leveraged his position as leader, which annoyed most of Class D. And from her perspective, calling him one of the stronger students sounded unrealistic.
Ayanokouji expected that reaction.
Which was exactly why he continued.
"And... for someone like him, I think he'd cooperate more if it were you asking."
"You really think so?"
"I do."
It wasn't a lie. Out of everyone in Class D, she had the highest success rate in dealing with Kumagawa. Even Hirata didn't come close.
Ayanokouji glanced at Kumagawa again. His face still carried that sleepy, uninterested expression. If left alone, he would definitely skip the test. There was no doubt about that.
So, if he wanted the results he needed, he needed Kushida. She was the only one who could push him in a natural manner.
Now he just had to guide her into making the decision on her own.
But for some reason, Ayanokouji felt like he had made the wrong move. He didn't know where the feeling came from, but before he could delve deeper into that strange sense of discomfort, Kushida's response pulled him back.
"...Fine. I'll try," she said.
Ayanokouji understood what that meant. Even if she tried, the conversation would probably derail within a few seconds thanks to Kumagawa's personality.
But even so—
Of all the options available, this was still the most realistic one.
"Thanks," he said.
Kushida then walked toward Kumagawa with a polite smile. Ayanokouji watched her from a distance, curious about how she intended to convince him. He tried to observe their exchange, but Kumagawa was seated in the corner, leaning against the wall while fiddling with his phone. From that angle, there was no way for Ayanokouji to eavesdrop without drawing attention.
Kumagawa barely reacted when she approached. He only looked up for a moment before returning to his phone. Within a few seconds, Kushida's expression stiffened.
As expected, things did not go smoothly.
And with every passing moment, her expression grew more displeased...no it was more like disgust.
He could only assume Kumagawa said something unpleasant. If anything could make someone like Kushida show genuine displeasure, it would probably be his habit of casually throwing out comments that sounded almost like harassment.
After a short exchange, Kumagawa stood up. He said a few words to her before slipping his phone into his pocket. Whatever he said, it made Kushida freeze for a moment.
Then he quietly walked toward where Ayanokouji and the rest of the boys were gathered for the grip strength test.
『You sure are awful, Ayanokouji-kun. To pull that kind of trick on me... you have gotten far too used to having things go your way, haven't you? Good grief. Well, I will not deny it. My weakness is definitely a girl who acts all hot and bothered. If a girl like that shows up in front of me and makes a request, there is no way I could reject her. 』
"...Did Kushida say something to convince you?" asked Ayanokouji.
『Of course not. Forget about her request. In the first place, I am just weak against girls. Especially the childhood friend type. The moment one appears in front of me, all I can do is prostrate to my knees in defeat. 』
"I see. Then I will count on you for the measurement."
Kumagawa only smiled. Ayanokouji could not tell if it meant agreement or something else entirely. Still, as strange as it sounded, he now placed all his hopes on Kumagawa.
Kumagawa then walked over to Hirata, who had already finished recording all the boys' grip strength results.
"Hm? What is it, Kumagawa-kun? Do you need help with something?" Hirata asked.
『Ahaha, sorry about being a burden, Hirata-kun. We all have those moments. Now that I have a sudden change of mind, I need your help. As a friend, you'll help me, right? 』
"Ahaha... well, if you say it like that..."
An awkward laugh was the only response Hirata could manage.
It went without saying that Hirata was reluctant to get too close to Kumagawa. That hadn't changed. Every time they talked, the atmosphere turned awkward, and it left a faint unpleasant feeling even for someone as tolerant as Hirata.
But that didn't stop him from trying. He genuinely wanted every classmate to get along, and he had tried many times to involve Kumagawa in their class discussions. Most attempts ended poorly, yet Hirata never gave up.
『Anyway, since Kushida persuaded me to do the grip strength test, I'll listen to her. I can't refuse her after all. You could say I completely lost to her. 』
Hirata did not understand the last part, but when he heard that Kumagawa would participate, his expression brightened.
Awkwardness aside, Hirata was not the type to give up on someone. If Kumagawa was willing to take part of his own accord, then Hirata was genuinely happy.
"That's great. But can I ask... what made you change your mind? I mean, how did Kushida persuade you? Ah, it's fine if you don't want to talk about it. I'm just curious."
『Huhu, I'm a contrarian by nature, Hirata-kun, and far too fickle for my own good. The moment I decided I wouldn't participate, something inside me flipped, and now I feel like doing the grip strength test instead. 』
Kumagawa spoke with a light smile, as if the explanation made perfect sense.
Of course, it didn't.
But Hirata only nodded with a troubled smile, unable to find any better response. But instead of staying troubled, Hirata handed the grip device to Kumagawa instead.
"Well, if you say so, Kumagawa-kun. I'm glad you changed your mind."
Hirata picked up one of the devices and held it out to him.
"Here you go, Kumagawa-kun."
Kumagawa accepted it without hesitation, turning the grip device lightly in his hand as if testing the weight.
Ayanokouji watched the two of them from a short distance away.
Everything had gone as planned.
He still did not know the exact extent of Kumagawa's physical strength, but based on what happened on the island, it was safe to assume Kumagawa was nowhere near weak. His body was slim, but his movements and durability were abnormal enough that Ayanokouji could not place him on the same scale as ordinary students.
That was why he was curious.
Aside from that, Ayanokouji was also curious about the exact measurement of Kumagawa's strength. It was rare for him to encounter someone with a skill set like Kumagawa's outside that place.
So when Kumagawa repositioned his grip on the device, Ayanokouji focused on him carefully. He could not see the numbers clearly from where he stood, but he could estimate it well enough.
He wanted to see just how far Kumagawa's strength truly reached.
Just when Kumagawa began to squeeze the device, the number on the display shot up to 50 in an instant. Even for the first second of measurement, that level of force was impressive.
"...!"
But before it could climb any higher, Ayanokouji suddenly rushed over and struck the device out of Kumagawa's hand in one clean motion.
Thud.
The grip meter hit the floor loudly, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
"Kumagawa-kun!"
Hirata, who had been watching Kumagawa use the device, raised his voice in shock. The other boys nearby also froze in surprise, unable to understand what had just happened.
A split second later, a faint drip reached Ayanokouji's ears.
A small crimson drop fell from Kumagawa's right hand, trailing down his palm before falling to the floor.
"Ayanokouji-kun...! What happened? Are you okay? What about Kumagawa-kun?"
His voice was tight with worry as he looked between the two of them.
He looked genuinely confused. As far as he knew, Ayanokouji and Kumagawa did not have any conflict. Seeing Ayanokouji knock something out of Kumagawa's hand made him fear the worst.
Ayanokouji didn't answer immediately. He kept his eyes on Kumagawa's hand instead.
"Check his hand first, It looks like he might have strained it."
Hirata moved closer at once. When he saw the injury, his expression stiffened.
Kumagawa's palm was already swelling.
A dark bruise was spreading quickly beneath the skin. The base of his thumb and the soft area between his thumb and index finger were the worst, almost as if the flesh had been crushed in a single moment.
A faint outline of the grip device's metal frame was marked into his skin, showing exactly where the pressure had concentrated.
The grip device was meant to be held evenly. If someone applied too much force while holding it at the wrong angle, the pressure would not spread evenly across the hand. Instead, it would focus on one small point.
When that happens, the soft tissue cannot withstand the force.
The muscles compress, the blood vessels rupture, and the blood spreads under the skin without anywhere to go.
A hematoma.
Ayanokouji understood the moment he saw the bruise.
Hirata looked pale as he examined the injury. "Kumagawa-kun... this is pretty bad. You should go to the inframary. We need to get this treated."
But instead of worry with his injuries, Kumagawa was looking at Ayanokouji instead.
『Oho, that was an outstanding and versatile performance you just showed, Ayanokouji-kun. What, are you aiming for the role of the protagonist now? 』
"Rather than saying nonsense about protagonists, you should treat your hand first."
Looking at that kind of wound, it was strange how Kumagawa's expression had not changed even once from the beginning. His pain tolerance was clearly abnormal. But even so, pain tolerance was one thing. Ignoring a wound made by deliberately straining his own hand was another.
Ayanokouji mildly understood that Kumagawa lacked a sense of self-preservation, but he did not expect it to reach the point where he could casually inflict a self-harming injury on himself without hesitation.
The others, who finally realized what had happened, looked worried as they saw the swollen bruise spreading across Kumagawa's palm. Even Horikita showed a reaction, though her expression was a complicated mix.
Part of her concern was clearly directed at the injury, but the other half was tied to the upcoming festival. For her, it was not just Kumagawa she was worried about, but the effect his wound might have on Class D's overall performance.
『Ooh... 』 Kumagawa murmured as he slowly flexed his fingers, testing the painful area as if it was nothing.
Several students winced the moment they saw it. Watching someone move an injury that fresh was repulsive.
Even Ayanokouji found himself quietly taken aback. At the very least, he had never seen someone do something like that so casually, not even during his past education.
"Kumagawa-kun, stop moving your hand," Hirata said in a firm voice as he stepped closer. "You're only making it worse. Someone needs to take you to the infirmary right now."
『It's okay, I can go alone. 』Kumagawa then began walking toward the infirmary
As he leaves, Kumagawa calmly wiped the blood running down his wrist with his sleeve, treating it like something trivial. His behavior was so natural that it felt wrong to call it the action of someone who had just injured himself.
Hirata watched him with a troubled look, but before he could say anything else, Kumagawa suddenly glanced back at him.
『More importantly, Hirata-kun, about the result. You can do whatever you like with it. The feeling I had about wanting to try my best in the sports festival changed, so I don't really want to participate anymore. 』
"..."
Hirata stayed quiet, still looking uneasy.
There was no way he could tell Kumagawa to think about it more carefully, or suggest talking it over later, while Kumagawa was injured. Unless he completely ignored the other person's well-being, saying something like that was impossible.
『Ah, but that feeling might change again later. See? I'm pretty fickle with my feelings.』
He sure was cheerful.
『See ya! 』
With that, Kumagawa walked off, leaving Hirata frozen in place, unable to decide whether he should call out to him or let him go. He felt uneasy about the whole situation, and a bit of his past memories quietly surfaced in his thoughts, making that uneasiness even stronger.
But at the same time, as a classmate, Hirata was genuinely worried.
In the end, his concern won.
Hirata took a slow breath and looked around at the nearby students. "Is anyone willing to follow Kumagawa-kun? Just to make sure he's really okay...?"
His voice carried a mix of worry and hesitation, but it was clear he meant every word.
The students exchanged glances, but no one stepped forward immediately. Most of them hesitated, unsure if they should get involved.
After a moment of silence, Kushida raised her hand.
"I'll go. I'm worried about him too. He's my childhood friend, after all."
Her voice eased some of the tension, and Hirata let out a small sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Kushida-san. Please look after him."
Kushida nodded and hurried after Kumagawa.
After she was gone, Hirata spoke while looking a little haggard. "I'm sorry, everyone. Before we talk about our plans for the sports festival, I... need to clear my mind for a bit. Let's take a short break."
No one objected. They still didn't fully understand what had happened, but the atmosphere left a bad taste in their mouths, and they agreed with Hirata's decision.
Hirata, on the other hand, felt rather tired, and a faint sense of fear rose from the bottom of his heart. A few girls noticed he looked unwell and approached him, trying to cheer him up, but Hirata simply told them he was fine.
"It's fine..." he murmured softly.
Yes, he was fine. He convinced himself he was fine.
Even when the memories of his past resurfaced.
He was fine.
As long as something like 'that' did not happen again.
He was fine.
Yes, he was fine.
Ayanokouji, who watched the haggard Hirata, seemed curious about why he was acting like that.
He already knew something was wrong with Hirata. Ever since Kumagawa provoked him once and Sakura expulsion, Ayanokouji had noticed that Hirata's mental state was unstable, held together only because he was forcing himself to stay calm.
And now, it seemed Hirata had fallen into that same state again, suppressing it with sheer will.
Ayanokouji was curious and wanted to know what exactly triggered this reaction, but he also knew this wasn't the right time. If he pressed Hirata now, it would only harm his mental state even more.
It seemed the others understood that as well, choosing not to approach Hirata for the time being.
After a while, once Hirata had settled his troubled feelings, he gathered everyone to continue planning for the festival.
"Are you really okay, Hirata-kun?" Horikita asked.
"Thank you for your concern, Horikita-san, but I'm fine now."
Even though he said he was fine, it was obvious to everyone that he wasn't. Hirata looked even more worn-out than before, as if he were barely holding himself together while forcing down the turmoil inside him.
"Good. I only asked because it would be troublesome if you could not perform properly during the sports festival. If your condition worsens, it would be better for you to step back for a while."
'That's why you don't have any friends...' Ayanokouji thought quietly.
He understood what she was trying to say, but there had to be a more considerate way to phrase it. Her personality was really not good when it came to handling people. That was what he thought, but without realizing it, Ayanokouji unconsciously muttered part of it out loud.
"What did you say?" Horikita glared at him with a rather sharp look.
"I didn't say anything." He lied.
Before Horikita could retort, Shinohara, one of Karuizawa friends stepped forward with a displeased look., "Horikita-san, can you not talk like that right now? Hirata-kun is clearly exhausted. You should choose your words better."
Horikita gave Shinohara a cold look, neither apologizing nor backing down.
"I only stated the obvious. If Hirata-kun is not in a proper condition, forcing him to continue the discussion will hurt the class more."
"Honestly, Horikita-san... you could stand to say it in a nicer way, you know?" Sato Maya, one of Karuizawa's friends also stepped forward with a small frown.
Once again, Horikita found herself clashing with a few classmates, most of them from Karuizawa's group.
At this point, Ayanokouji even thought that her persoanlity is getting out of control, and this was not good for the future development of Class D as a whole.
Ayanokouji understood that. If Class D ever wanted to reach Class A, he needed to find the right chance to fix her stubborn behavior. Her talent was clear, but her lack of flexibility would become a weakness sooner or later.
He would need to deal with it eventually.
But all of a sudden,
"That's enough!"
Hirata suddenly raised his voice.
"Why... why can't we just get along? We're all classmates. We should be supporting each other, not arguing over every little thing. Every time something happens, it turns into a small conflict."
Hirata looked around at everyone, his eyes filled with frustration more than sadness. His already haggard expression grew even worse.
"I'm not asking for anything impossible. I just want us to stop arguing with each other. Even now, when everyone is tense about the festival, we're making things worse by fighting among ourselves. Why can't we talk things out calmly? Why can't we consider each other's feelings, even a little?"
Ayanokouji was slightly surprised by the sudden outburst.
This was the second time he had seen Hirata act this aggressively. Ever since Sakura's expulsion, Hirata had never behaved like this in front of everyone. In Kumagawa's case, Hirata was provoked, but not to this extent.
In other words, something about this current situation had touched a nerve in Hirata Yousuke.
But Ayanokouji didn't expect things to escalate this far.
He could see that everyone was tense.
It felt as if the darker sides of the class were being forcefully brought to the surface.
"See? This is exactly what I was talking about." Horikita let out a small sigh and crossed her arms.
"What does that mean, Horikita-san?" one of the girls muttered.
"Please... can we stop..." Hirata pleaded, but his voice was drowned out by the others continuing to argue. At this point, no one was in the right state of mind to think properly.
Horikita watched the scene for a moment, then let out another quiet breath.
"This is pointless. Hirata-kun."
Hearing her voice, Hirata looked toward Horikita.
"We should end it here for today. Discussing anything now is impossible. Everyone is too emotional, and nothing productive will come out of it. Let's continue the discussion tomorrow. At the very least, by then, everyone should be able to think more logically."
"..."
Hirata's expression was far from good, but the only response he could manage was a small nod.
Thus, the planned discussion was delayed until tomorrow.
『』『』『』『』『』
"Isn't that painful?" Kushida asked.
Kushida, who was accompanying Kumagawa to the infirmary, spoke while looking at his wounded hand.
『What, do you mean this? 』 he said as he casually showed the wound right in front of her face.
"Ugh, I don't think you should do that. At least don't show it to me. It's disgusting."
『Then I won't. 』
Kumagawa obediently followed her words, although she had no intention of believing he was actually listening to her. It was probably just another one of Kumagawa's usual whims.
『But if we're talking about whether it hurts or not, then of course it does. There's no doubt a wound like this is painful, right? I doubt anyone could ignore something like this so easily. 』
"But you don't look like you're hurting."
『Well, even so, it should be fine in this case. It's not like someone like me cares that much about pain anyway. 』
"Well... I guess that's true."
She still didn't fully understand what he meant, but it was better to take his answer at face value, especially since his tone felt strangely definitive. It was as if this was the one thing he wouldn't yield on, even at the cost of his life.
In any case, as they continued walking, they eventually arrived at the infirmary.
This was one of the school infirmaries located inside the main building, the kind that only operated during school hours. Students used it for daily injuries, sudden fevers, or the usual attempts to skip class. Outside school hours, there were several other infirmaries scattered around campus, including a couple near the Keyaki Mall and another inside the mall itself, all of which operated for longer hours to accommodate the academy's "self-sufficient" lifestyle.
The school infirmary itself was quiet as usual. Not many students used it to begin with. A few would occasionally fake sickness to avoid class, but most avoided doing so, since getting caught meant a penalty to class points.
And with the sports festival coming soon, students were more focused on preparing than on finding excuses to rest.
Sitting behind the desk was the school nurse, a calm-looking woman with soft glasses and a tired expression that suggested she had dealt with far too many students faking sickness in the past.
She looked up when the door slid open.
"What happened?" she asked
"My friend, Kumagawa-kun, injured his hand, and we wanted to have it treated," Kushida explained, gently guiding him forward.
The nurse's eyes widened slightly the moment she saw the swelling and discoloration across his palm.
"This is... quite severe," she muttered as she reached for a pair of gloves. "Sit down. I'll examine it."
As she cleaned the bruise, a deeper shade of purple revealed itself beneath the smeared blood.
"You must have applied a lot of force for it to reach this state. This kind of swelling indicates significant tissue damage. You're lucky it's only a hematoma."
"Is it serious?" Kushida asked nervously.
"It's treatable, but if he keeps using his hand, the condition will worsen. He needs to avoid putting strain on it for at least a while." The nurse stood up and added, "Wait here. I'll get an ice pack."
She turned toward a large medical refrigerator in the corner of the infirmary.
Normally, school infirmaries didn't have medical refrigerators as standard equipment. Public Japanese schools usually kept only the basics: bandages, disinfectant, and simple medicine that didn't require cooling.
But this academy was built under direct government supervision, so the facilities here were an exception.
"Standard procedure here is a bit more thorough than I thought," Kushida said as she watched the nurse take out an ice pack and prepare some bandages from the cabinet.
『If that weren't the case, then I would be severely disappointed to the point it's disgusting. 』
How serious.
"Disgusting aside... can you explain why you did something that painfully disgusting?"
Considering he had gone out of his way to injure himself, there was no way he would do something that painful without a reason. If that was the case, then she needed to re-evaluate the person named Kumagawa Misogi.
She had known him for some time now, and she had spent a lot of time with him. She was fully aware of his destructive personality and the inherent flaws in his mentality.
A Minus mentality, he called it.
But she hadn't known.
She wouldn't say something as conceited as claiming she understood everything about Kumagawa, but she had absolutely no idea that his destructive tendencies were this extreme.
『Do you really want to know, Kushida-chan? I don't mind telling you. Ah, but give me a second. 』
Kumagawa then flexing his fingers in his wounded hand a couple times. Usually, people who have hematoma woulndt usually flex their fingers since it squeezes the swollen, confined space where the hematoma sits, compressing the sensitive clot against surrounding tissue and nerve endings. It's like pressing firmly on a deep, fluid-filled bruise from the inside out.
So when Kumagawa moved his fingers again, he would definitely feel a sharp, throbbing pain each time.
Kushida had no idea what he was trying to do.
"What are you doin—"
『Hrgnh. 』
Pop.
Kushida heard a small plopping sound, like a bubble bursting.
Her eyes dropped to his hand.
"K-Kumagawa-kun, what are you doing!?"
The dark bruise on his palm tightened unnaturally for a moment. Then, from the center of the swelling, a small bead of dark blood pushed its way out. The skin wasn't torn. There was no cut. It was as if the trapped blood had forced itself through by sheer pressure.
"What is going on!?" The nurse rushed over quickly, holding a pack of ice and several bandages for treatment.
Her initial expression, which had looked like she found it troublesome to deal with yet another student, changed instantly the moment she saw his hand. She quickly grabbed Kumagawa's wrist and pulled it closer, her brows tightening in alarm as she examined the injury.
"This is... what did you do? You cannot apply that kind of pressure to an injury like this. Are you trying to make it worse?"
『Ah, sorry. It was bothering me a little. 』
Both Kushida and the nurse stared at him, their expressions caught somewhere between worry and disgust.
Kushida swallowed nervously. "Sensei... is this going to make the wound worse?"
The nurse examined the bruised palm again, then let out a slow sigh.
"He ruptured the skin from underneath. The blood forced an opening on its own by forcing a small tear in the skin from the inside. This is basically a self-inflicted traumatic wound. If it were left untreated, it could easily lead to a serious infection. Normally, anyone would avoid doing something like this because it hurts like hell. It's extremely painful."
"Eh!? A-an infection!?"
"Calm down. It would only be serious if nobody treated it. Since I'm here, it's fine."
Kushida let out a sigh of relief.
"Don't feel relieved yet. Sure, the problem's technically solved, but it's still going to be extremely painful thanks to this idiot forcefully rupturing his own skin." She poked Kumagawa's head several times.
Kushida looked at him with a mix of worry and disgust. "Seriously... what were you thinking, you idiot?"
『Huh? Did I do something wrong? If the blood is stuck, isn't it better to let it out? It should be obvious medically too, right? 』
"Please don't say the word medically as if it's that simple."
The idea of rupturing your own skin with brute force just to force the blood out was amazing in the worst possible way. Kushida didn't know much about medical procedures, but even from the explanation alone, she understood this was not a sane or proper approach.
『...For now, let the school nurse finish the treatment so we can get out of this human storage unit. I can't think in a room this dreary. 』
Ignoring the comment about the infirmary being a "human storage unit," the nurse continued treating the newly opened wound.
She cleaned it with a stinging disinfectant, applied a thick layer of antibiotic ointment, then covered it with sterile gauze and secured it with tape. The whole process took less than a minute, but her expression made it clear she wished she had never seen this kind of injury today.
While it wasn't visually disgusting, since she'd seen far worse in the past, she could still imagine the pain. As a medical expert, she could picture how the wound would open and throb. In her mind, it was nothing short of painfully disgusting.
"Alright," she said, letting out a small sigh. "That's the best I can do for now."
She looked straight at Kumagawa.
"Listen carefully. Don't strain that hand for a while. Don't poke it, don't press it, and definitely don't try anything creative with it."
『Hmm, I dunno about that. I mean, there's a sports festival coming, isn't it? Are you suggesting I skip it?』
"It's up to you, really," the nurse replied with a casual shrug. "The wound won't get any worse than it is now. I've cleaned it, covered it, and it just needs time. But the pain won't go away anytime soon. If you use that hand, you'll feel pain every time you move. If you insist on participating, then you'll just have to endure it."
Kumagawa looked down at his freshly treated hand.
Then, as if testing her words, he started moving his fingers again.
"Hey, don't do that! I treated that wound properly. It will be troublesome if something happens to it."
『Troublesome... as a school nurse, don't you think that's a bit of a thoughtless remark toward your patient? Well, I doubt anything serious will happen to my hand with treatment at this level, but I guess it's acceptable. 』
"Wha—Kumagawa-kun, what are you saying!?"
After spending time with him for a while, Kushida could tell when Kumagawa was insulting someone. While most people would usually let his words go over their heads, since they usually didn't understand him due to his roundabout way of speaking, this time it was a clear passive aggressive insult toward the nurse.
"What did you say....?" The nurse's expression tightened as she stared at him.
『Hahaha, don't get angry, sensei. I only meant that the treatment is doable. Though compared to my second-best plan, it's a little lacking. Well, I suppose it's fine. I'll come back later once my hand has fully healed. 』
"Is that so? Then let me ask you something. If you fail to stop hurting yourself until the end of the sports festival, will you take back that careless remark about me?"
That was what she said.
At this unexpected demand from the nurse, Kumagawa was silent for a moment
『... 』
But after that, he finally spoke, with a smile on his face.
『Of course, I don't mind. If that happens, I'll make it as if my statement never happened. 』
『』『』『』『』『』
『By the way, Kushida-chan, what's the next period afte P.E? 』
"Huh? After P.E, i supposed it's to be a lunch break next."
Because of the upcoming sports festival, the school had adjusted the schedule. Several periods were rearranged to give students more time to practice and prepare. One of the changes was pairing P.E with the lunch break.
By placing them back-to-back, students could use the time more efficiently. Those who needed extra practice could continue right after class, and those who were exhausted could rest immediately without rushing to another lesson.
"What, are you planning to do something stupid again?"
『So you saw me as someone like that, Kushida-chan... I'm shocked.』
"That's an awful way of putting it. I'm not going to deny it, but that's how I see you."
『Ahaha, how honest of you, Kushida-chan. But that's also why I like being around you.』
"Yes, yes, thank you very much."
Hearing that kind of hollow compliment meant nothing to her, especially when it came from a boy who was hard to perceive. From him, those words simply meant she was interesting.
Even if it sounded like praise, the meaning was completely different. It felt closer to "You're fun to watch," or "You're an interesting person to observe." It carried a nuance that made her feel more like a passing curiosity than someone being complimented.
Well, these were all just assumptions with no real basis, though.
"Anyway. Because of you, I missed the plan discussion for the sports festival. You know those things are important to me."
『Oh, that? You don't have to worry. The sports festival discussion for today will most likely be delayed. At the very least, they'll talk about it tomorrow. 』
"Huh? How do you know?" Kushida questioned.
He sounded oddly certain.
As someone who had watched Kumagawa with her own eyes for quite some time, she knew better than to take anything he said at face value. Unless you decided to ignore him entirely, there was no point. He was the kind of person who could lie as easily as he breathed. In other words, a no-good human being.
But even if he was a no-good human, there were moments when he shined. His deductions could be sharp. Shallow at times—sometimes as shallow as the water by the poolside, but still unexpectedly accurate.
But....
Thinking about it again.
There really wasn't anything good about him.
Even when he shined, it was a dim light, like something flickering at the edge of a port.
『Kushida-chan, did you think something cruel about me just now? 』
"Um..."
Before she could carelessly defend herself with an excuse, Kumagawa raised his hand to stop her.
『I'm definitely hurt by your thoughts just now. The thought that I would explain it to you changed, so I won't explain it anymore.』
Even though she had thought something cruel about him, she couldn't help but feel that he was being even more annoying than usual.
『But the thought that I won't explain it could change if you let me squeeze your boobs. 』
"In your dreams. Even if this is the last day on earth, I'd rather die than let you do that."
『But didn't you let Ayanokouji grab your boobs? 』
"..."
With the way things were going, if she actually had a revolver, she felt like she might just pull the trigger.
"You wanna die? Vice President Kumagawa Misogi-kun."
Kushida's eyes narrowed. She looked exceedingly and genuinely displeased
"Do you really want to die?" She said again for the sake of emphasis
『Ahaha, scary. 』
It didn't seem to affect him at all. No matter how strong her glare was, he stayed calm. Kushida even thought that if someone pointed a revolver at his head, he would still look exactly the same.
『Anyway, do you have free time after this? 』
"...Why?"
『Haha. For you to not read my intention, I can't help but say your butt is still too blue to be my assistant. 』
He can't help but say that?
No, he definitely just wanted to sound clever. And setting aside the cleverness, it wasn't exactly polite to talk about a girl's butt in the first place.
"There's no way anyone can read your intention. It's impossible. And to begin with, I'm not your assistant."
『No need to feel ashamed. You're basically my private assistant already. And you'll officially be my Tachibana-senpai next year anyway. It's easier if you just accept it, Kushida-chan. 』
"..."
She couldn't come up with a retort.
No matter how she looked at it, she had already gotten too involved with Kumagawa.
In other words, it was already too late for her.
『Anyway, Kushida-chan. As my assistant, you should already know we have a natural enemy in this school that needs to be removed for the sake of peace, right? 』
"Natural enemy...?"
『It's Nagumo Miyabi-senpai. 』
"Aaah... that guy..."
She had almost forgotten about him.
Basically, Nagumo was the upperclassman Kumagawa was ordered to opposed by the student council president.
But "removed"?
Why was he saying it like Nagumo Miyabi was some kind of pest that needed to be exterminated immediately? Isn't that term more appropriate for someone like him, is what Kushida thought.
To give an example, It was like a hero fighting againts a demon king, but Kumagawa wasn't the hero. He was the demon king talking casually about eliminating the hero.
No matter how she tried to interpret it, the whole thing felt wrong.
"What are you going to do? Do you already have a plan to deal with him?" Kushida asked.
She didn't expect Kumagawa to have a proper plan in the first place. He was the type who would either make things up on the spot or just brute-force his way through because it was easier.
『That's impossible, Kushida-chan. There's no way I can deal with our upperclassman in such a short amount of time. And even if I could, I don't want to do it now. It sounds troublesome. 』
"So... does that mean you can deal with him if you wanted to...?"
『Huhu... 』
"..."
If he was trying to look cool, it failed miserably. With his personality, that laugh only made him look more suspicious.
But setting that aside, it seemed he did have some kind of plan. The problem was simply that he was too lazy or found it too troublesome to carry it out. Kushida wasn't sure which was worse, but either way, it didn't really make that much of a difference.
Whether Kumagawa dealt with Nagumo or not didn't matter too much to her personally. But for the sake of her own future, it was better if Nagumo disappeared sooner rather than later. There would be an inevitable conflict eventually, and since she was already stuck on Kumagawa's side, it was in her best interest if he handled it.
"Then what are you getting at?" she asked.
『Do you know the concept of the Karpman Drama Triangle? Or have you at least heard of it, Kushida-chan? 』
"It's the first time I've heard that name." Kushida shook her head.
『Splendid, you disappointed me exactly as I expected. 』
"Just explain it already!"
『Haha, don't get angry, I only know about it because Anshin'in-san likes playing mind games with me, and she happens to like this particular concept, so she made sure I learned it. 』
It seemed he was actually going to properly explain something for once.
『Basically, it says that in any messy relationship or conflict, people end up playing one of three roles. 』
He casually lifted three fingers with his injured hand. Kushida winced at the sight.
『First is the Instigator. Second is the Target. Third is the Recruiter. This dynamic often overlaps with the Persecutor–Victim–Rescuer pattern, but it doesn't have to. As long as there's someone who starts the conflict, someone who receives it, and third party who gets dragged into it, the Karpman Drama Triangle works. It's an easy enough concept to understand, right? 』
"Well... I guess?"
Considering he had gone out of his way to explain it using simple terms, she felt like she would be a lesser person if she didn't at least respond. But honestly... she wasn't completely confident she understood what he was aiming for.
The concept itself was simple enough. But the point behind it wasn't clear at all. It was like knowing how chess pieces move but not understanding why certain moves matter.
『In this situation, try thinking like this. Once the roles are already filled, the pattern becomes obvious. Since we already set the parameter that I'm the instigator, and Nagumo-kun as the target is already settled, then that only leaves the third party. 』
"I'm not really following... Are you saying you're going to drag someone into this mess? What are you planning?"
『I'm going to cause a problem. 』
"Trouble..."
『Exactly. I'll fool them with flattery and become enemies with those second-year elites. 』
Kumagawa said it with a smile.
It was a smile with no real emotion behind it.
『I'm sure it'll be an unforgettable experience. 』
The following day, Vice President Kumagawa Misogi would soon become the enemy of all the second years.
『END』
『』『』『』『』『』
Here you go peasants, another chapter.
Anyway, that's it for today's chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for reading!]