Ichijou Rikou Is Threatened

[Tsuki, look, I stayed up all night to finish this notice.]

Amayama Kaoru was full of energy early in the morning, which was quite a contrast to me, who had worked the late shift until ten last night.

Did she really not sleep at all.

Why is she this energetic.

Or rather, did she treat the task Hisateru Yoshiko gave her as some kind of mental pillar.

Unexpectedly fanatical, Kaoru.

[Hmm, let me take a look.]

I dealt with her on the surface, but in reality I pulled myself together and seriously examined the paper she handed me.

Her drawing skills were very good.

Amayama Kaoru seemed to have studied some professional drawing techniques, and compared to the average person, she was already quite impressive.

At the very least, I couldn’t draw something like this.

But—

[Kaoru, why did you draw magical girls on it.]

It was very pretty, but it was filled with magical girls that had nothing to do with classical literature.

Someone might even mistake it for a Magical Girl Club poster.

That would be pretty funny.

Though I couldn’t actually laugh at it.

[Because magical girls are all I can draw.]

She answered righteously, not thinking there was anything wrong with it at all.

A painter who specializes in magical girls.

It sounds interesting.

But actually, it’s not interesting at all.

[But this doesn’t convey that we’re the Classical Literature Club.

And we’re collecting submissions, right.

If it’s all magical girls, how will people notice our call for entries.]

[I wrote it.]

She pointed at a line of text that you’d only notice if you really paid attention.

It was so small, and buried under the large magical girl illustrations, that it was practically invisible.

[That won’t work, Kaoru.]

[—I just wanted everyone to like magical girls.]

She clearly knew she’d gone too far, but still stubbornly tried to justify herself.

[We can do that another day.

Right now, what’s important is this.]

I pointed at the line of text.

[Make it bigger, so everyone can clearly see this notice.]

[O-Okay.]

[Ding—dong—ding—dong—]

The class bell rang quietly, and the classroom settled down a bit until the teacher arrived.

[Alright, let’s move on to the next lesson.]

His voice stirred a heavy drowsiness.

As we gradually moved into summer, the classroom fans whirred loudly, bringing with them a stifling atmosphere.

But—

For me, it wasn’t all that noticeable.

A gentle breeze kept flowing in from the window, carrying the fresh outdoor air along with the faint scent of trees.

[Amayama Kaoru.]

[E-Eh.]

Amayama Kaoru, who had been furiously drawing beside me, stood up reflexively when her name was called.

[You’ve been working hard lately.]

Toyama-sensei, who taught Japanese, looked quite satisfied.

[Hehe, thank you for the praise, Sensei.]

Even as she said that, she quickly covered the half-finished notice so no one would notice.

She was actually following my advice and redrawing it.

But drawing during class time—had she completely abandoned her studies.

Well, it wasn’t really my problem.

I’d said my piece only because I was playing the role of her very close friend.

Whether she listened or not was up to her.

After all, other than going home, there wasn’t much else worth paying attention to.

[Then, Amayama Kaoru, read the next passage.]

[Ehh—]

Completely absorbed in her art and filtering out the teacher’s lecture, that was probably her state right now.

[Kaoru, it’s here.]

As her seatmate and friend, I played my part and whispered a reminder.

[Y-Yes, Sensei—]

Kindness is something meaningless to me.

Not only because the human obligation behind it is heavy and difficult to repay, but also because I don’t know how to respond to it.

If I don’t know how to respond, then it’s easier to ignore it.

In my heart, I ignore that kindness.

To others, I look cold, distant, someone who doesn’t interact with anyone.

Only I know that this is simply a way to stop people from offering me kindness in the first place.

But sometimes I wonder.

Do I really not know how to respond.

Or is it that I don’t want to.

Or that it’s troublesome.

Am I actually longing to respond to others.

I don’t know.

I’m lost.

Lost about what I think, and about who I really am.

Am I someone who just wants to remain alone forever.

Or someone who wants to respond, but is afraid.

Afraid of my own flaws.

Afraid that someone as indifferent as me, someone who already thinks their life is over, someone unqualified—

Would there ever be someone who makes me respond.

[Alright everyone, what kind of struggle does this passage reflect in the author.]

Studying is always dull.

For most people, at least.

Of course, there are also those who enjoy learning, even the process itself.

As for me, I could probably be classified as the first type.

But I’m also different from them.

I perform like someone who’s diligent and genuinely enjoys studying.

In this regard too, I exist as a counterfeit.

But—

I took in a small breath of the fresh air blowing in from outside the window.

Ah, this is still so boring.

When will it be lunchtime.

The midday sun was intense.

At this moment, it truly felt like summer.

And with the heat came a loss of appetite.

I was almost just waiting for Ichijou Rikou to arrive.

Am I… looking forward to the food he brings.

In the end, I still can’t refuse that sense of happiness.

It’s something that can at least stimulate my emotions a little.

[I’m sorry, Touha-san.]

He always started with an apology.

Even when he came running over, out of breath, that habit never changed.

Well, there’s no need to be that serious with a counterfeit like me, right.

Even as I thought that, I smiled back at him as usual.

[Good afternoon, Ichijou-kun.]

[Good afternoon.

Sorry I’m late.]

[It’s fine.

I know you have all sorts of things to deal with, Ichijou-kun.]

[Somehow, it feels like you’re a bit angry, Touha-san.]

[Mm-hm.]

I picked up my lunch box and opened my standard energy-replenishment set.

[I won’t get angry at you, Ichijou-kun, so don’t worry.

Touha Tsuki isn’t that petty of a woman.]

[That’s a relief.

Here, Touha-san.]

The moment my gaze shifted to his lunch box, he had already taken out the small side dish.

[Thank you again, Ichijou-kun.]

[If you’re planning to thank me every day, then you really don’t have to.]

[But I don’t have anything else to thank you with.

Unless—are you planning to demand compensation, Ichijou-kun.

But the only thing I can offer in return is this body, you know.

So does that mean you’ve already decided to take responsibility for Touha Tsuki.

If that’s the case—then we can even do it here.

Not many people come here, and it’s exciting enough, right—]

[Stop, stop, alright, alright.

Just keep thanking me like before, Touha-san.]

[Hehehe.]

It sounded like a victorious laugh.

But for me, there wasn’t much joy in it.

[By the way—]

While we were eating, he suddenly spoke up.

[Has the person who threatened you before done anything again, Touha-san.]

[I see.]

I thought about it seriously.

[Seems like… no.]

After breaking my umbrella, there was no follow-up.

If Ichijou Rikou hadn’t mentioned it, I might’ve forgotten entirely.

[What’s wrong, Ichijou-kun.]

I noticed his serious expression.

[He came after me.]

I stopped eating and looked up at him.

[It’s nothing serious.

Just some small stuff, like putting threatening letters in my desk.

Same as what you got, Touha-san.]

It didn’t look like he had the courage to escalate things.

If it was just threatening letters, then it wasn’t much.

But—

[Did I drag you into this, Ichijou-kun.]

[No.

If anything, I think I accidentally provoked him.

The letter said—]

[—“Ichijou Rikou, you will pay for your actions.

Dare to touch her without permission, and I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life.”—]

He recited the contents of the letter.

This was getting troublesome.

[They—no, he—is really fanatical.]

Ichijou Rikou sighed.

[Sounds like you already know who did it.]

[Yeah.

I didn’t expect that just lightly touching Nanjo-san would provoke this much hostility.]

So this variable really was having a big impact.

Even the protagonist, Ichijou Rikou, couldn’t escape it.

The reason they targeted me with such malice was probably because of how I casually dealt with Nanjo Rin at the school gate that day.

I didn’t expect them to retaliate by lunchtime on the same day.

That execution speed was unexpectedly impressive.

Though it wasn’t good news for me.

[So, what are you going to do, Ichijou-kun.]

[Even if I know who it is, without solid evidence, there’s nothing I can do to them.]

[So you’re planning to just pray they don’t make another move.

They don’t seem like the type to cling forever.

If you ignore them, they’ll probably settle down after a while, just like with me.

They seem to have completely forgotten about me.]

[So as long as I don’t get close to Nanjo-san anymore, it should be fine, right.]

[That does sound like a good idea.]

Ichijou Rikou thought seriously about it.

About this plan that was essentially running away.

But—

I, who already understood him completely, narrowed my eyes without the slightest hint of panic.

[But then you wouldn’t be able to fulfill your promise to me, Touha-san.]

[In that case, it’s better to deal with this head-on.

And Touha-san is being troubled by this too, aren’t you.]

He made his decision right in front of me.

[But why aren’t you worried at all that I might choose to give up.]

[Because I understand you, Ichijou-kun.

I know you’re not that kind of person.]

[Looks like I can’t hide anything in front of you.]

[Mm-hm.]

I continued eating, feeling a bit happier as the food’s warmth spread through me.

[You were also trying to see me get nervous just now, weren’t you.]

[Eh—]

[It was too fake.

That look of considering giving up, those lines you said.

It felt like you said them on purpose.

They didn’t match how you usually are at all.]

[Kh—]

It was rare to see him this embarrassed.

Sorry about that, Ichijou-kun.

You finally felt like teasing someone, only to have it mercilessly torn apart by a counterfeit like me.

Though I say that without the slightest bit of guilt.

[If we want to deal with them, the only way is to get closer to Nanjo-san.

That way, they’ll expose themselves more.]

Ichijou Rikou murmured thoughtfully.

[But Nanjo-san isn’t easy to approach.]

[You told me to be rough with her, but… that’s really hard to do.]

[I’m full.

Thanks for the meal.]

While he was still deep in thought, I closed my lunch box.

Then I smiled at him.

[Then let me be your test subject.]