kscans

Chapter 146 - Dead Serious

The first day after summer break. The new class assignments were announced.

That part was fine. The student population had decreased. Some classes didn't have enough students to be maintained, so reorganization was inevitable.

But to create a class so blatantly for 'Awakened Persons only'... are you for real?

"Don't look so down, Yagawa."

"Th-That's right. It might hinder your networking, but in your case, Yagawa-kun, there are no downsides!"

"Guh."

"Aika. What you just said..."

"Ah, no! That's not what I meant!?"

Our desks were lined up in a single row. From the hallway side, it was Erina-san, myself, Ooyama-san, and Busujima-san. And that was it—only four of us.

Wow. I'm in a class with only girls. It's a harem.

Not that I could be happy about it. ...Well, I am a little happy, I guess. It's much better than being surrounded by strangers.

That aside, I think it's perfectly reasonable for my mouth to be twisted into a frown at this overly blatant segregation.

"The homeroom teacher just said the bare minimum and then scurried off somewhere."

"Well, that's..."

"That teacher was obviously terrified of us."

The young female teacher looked like she'd just been thrown into a cage of wild animals.

I think she was originally Erina-san's homeroom teacher, but it seems she hadn't built up any resistance. She looked like she was on the verge of tears, probably recalling what she saw during the sports festival.

"I thought we got along pretty well, though."

Erina-san's eyebrows drooped for once.

"That's 'cause everyone in class, including the teacher, kept what happened between you and Jougasaki a secret. Niijima probably thought our class was just a bit energetic but otherwise peaceful."

Niijima? ...Ah, that must be the teacher's last name.

I thought she'd said the bare minimum, but now I remember she didn't even introduce herself.

For that matter, we didn't introduce ourselves either. Is that really okay for a homeroom teacher?

"No way. I considered our teacher a friend, you know? Our friendship is still going strong!"

"That's an incredibly one-sided street you're on."

"I... I can't really deny that."

"Ā-chan, you too?"

Erina-san slumped onto her desk and pouted.

Her magnificent chest is being squished and changing shape...!!

Wait, if I think about it, does this mean I have beautiful bosoms to my right and my left?

To my right, a bountiful chest is pressed against the desk, altering its form.

To my left, a magnificent boob-tent has been pitched, asserting its rocket-like presence.

—Maybe segregation isn't so bad after all.

There's a gap between Awakened and non-Awakened, not just in physical ability but also in skills. I've seen on TV several times about incidents where those skills accidentally went off and hurt someone.

I hear that to prevent such accidents, schools everywhere are taking measures like this. Perhaps this is just a sign of the 'times.'

I'm sure some kind of solution will be in place in a few years.

Boobs... I mean, for a safe and secure school life, discrimination is bad, but 'distinction' is necessary.

Boing boing... no, that's not it. Everyone has their own way of thinking. For now, I'll trust our teachers.

Her chest through her uniform... I can't. My worldly desires are taking over my brain. In any case, I swore to myself that I would continue to attend school properly.

—On second thought, is my brain directly connected to my lower body?

"What's wrong, Kyouta? You look so serious."

"No. I was just pondering the nature of human karma..."

"Philosophy!?"

"I think he's probably talking about health and physical education."

"Yagawa-kun..."

I gently averted my gaze from the two pairs of eyes to my left. The fact that they were looking at me with pity rather than disapproval was subtly painful.

I'm a healthy boy, too. Please forgive me...!

"S-So, if it's just us in one class, I wonder what the upperclassmen are doing."

"He changed the subject so obviously. From what I hear, as far as they know, all the other Awakened students moved away."

"Eh, really?"

"Yep."

As I raised a questioning eyebrow at Ooyama-san's words, Busujima-san next to her made a slightly awkward face.

"After the incident in June, they were the ones who evacuated with only their own families... They were afraid of being attacked by the families of those who died..."

"What? No, in the first place, ordinary people had no reason to fight in that situation..."

As I said that, I remembered my own actions.

...Oh, crap.

"...Could it be, like, a comparison between them and us?"

"Probably."

"There are always gonna be people who think, 'We—well, mainly you and Erina—fought and protected everyone, so what were you guys doing?'"

"...It's unreasonable, but I guess you can't reason with the bereaved families and expect them to understand."

It's abnormal for someone to be able to think rationally after suddenly losing their family. Even I swung my sword in a frenzy when I thought the Orc Champion had killed my parents.

And unlike my situation, they have no way to get their revenge.

"For the record, it's not like the families actually did anything, apparently."

"It's more a case of the upperclassmen's own paranoia, or rather, their guilt over having fled."

"I mean... I can understand how they feel, but..."

To be honest, I wanted to ignore everyone else, grab my parents, and run away too.

The reason I stayed and fought wasn't out of some sense of justice or mission. It was simply because my friends were staying, and it would have been difficult to escape with my friends' families as well.

I'm not noble enough to risk my life for complete strangers. If people have misunderstood that about me, I wish they'd stop. If they get their hopes up on their own, they'll just end up disappointed in me.

I want no part of that kind of unsolicited, drive-by expectation.

"I don't think this is the case, but the school isn't isolating us like this so they can use us for defense if something happens, right?"

"Like we'd know what the teachers are thinking."

"...Sorry."

I was getting a little worked up. I shook my head slightly, trying to regain my composure.

Getting a grip, I looked up at the clock on the wall.

"There's still some time before class, so I'm going to the restroom."

"...Yeah."

"Shizuku-san. What was that pause for?"

"Nothing. I was just exercising some self-restraint."

"Shizuku-san...? I'm trusting you, Shizuku-san...!?"

Busujima-san grabbed the shoulder of Ooyama-san, who was subtly looking away.

Please, I beg you, keep her in check as her stopper. I really don't want to be teased about toilet-related matters.

"Kyouta, Kyouta."

"Yes?"

As I stood up to leave the classroom, Erina-san called out to me.

She looked at her phone screen, smiled faintly, and then turned a beaming smile on me.

"What I said yesterday might not have been entirely wrong, you know!"

"...? Huh."

Not really understanding what she meant, I tilted my head and left the classroom.

I finished my business in the restroom, and as I was washing my hands and drying my fingers with a handkerchief.

Several male students blocked my path in the hallway.

I thought maybe they were going to say something like, 'Don't get so cocky!' but I didn't sense any hostility.

In fact, they were...

"Itou-kun...?"

It was Itou-kun and the students who, I believe, were cross-dressing during the sports festival.

Of course, they were wearing normal blazers and trousers now, but they looked at me with serious expressions, and then...

"Thank you!"

They all bowed their heads in unison.

As I stood there, stunned and confused, Itou-kun snapped his head up.

"That's all! See ya!"

He then ran off. As I blinked at his retreating figure, another male student gave a wry smile.

"We survived that day because you fought, Yagawa. I don't know what you were thinking when you took up your sword back then, but it's a fact that you saved us. So, we wanted to thank you."

"But we were hospitalized, or we just didn't have your number."

"So, it's late, but we wanted to tell you. Thank you for what you did."

"...I see."

'Kyouta, you saved a lot of people. You're a hero, right?'

I remembered what she said yesterday. I see. Maybe she wasn't entirely wrong after all.

The former classmates in front of me had shy smiles, and I'm sure I had a similar expression on my face.

Being thanked by people like this was surprisingly heartwarming.

"Here. We all chipped in and bought this for you. Please take it. Itou helped out too."

"Ah, thank you..."

"We should be the ones saying that."

I accepted the paper bag they offered, my voice almost cracking.

What could it be? I don't know much about fancy stores, but from the look of the bag, it seems like it's from a pretty expensive place...

"This is—"

Just as I was about to ask what was inside, the chime rang through the hallway.

"Crap, we gotta get to class."

"See ya, Yagawa! And really, thanks again for back then!"

"Our classes may have changed, but our bond is forever!"

They said their piece and ran off before I could stop them. From down the hall, I heard an angry voice yell, 'No running!' It seems a teacher caught them.

With a small, wry smile, I hurried back to the classroom. Apparently, the teacher hadn't arrived at our class yet.

"Yo, what's up, Yagawa? You were gone for a while."

"Well... I was just, um... being thanked."

"...I see."

"That's wonderful!"

Ooyama-san smiled faintly, and Busujima-san beamed.

And then, from the seat to my right, Erina-san showed me her phone screen.

"I got thank you messages from Ichiko-chan and the others, too! Yay!"

"Well... it doesn't feel bad."

"You're not being honest, Kyouta."

"There's no demand for a tsundere guy, you know."

"Now, now, you two. Yagawa-kun is at that age, you know."

"Please give me a break...!"

The lukewarm gazes from the three girls are painful...!

As I covered my face to endure the shame, Erina-san poked my shoulder.

"Hey, hey. What's in the paper bag? That's from a clothing store, right?"

"Eh? No. I just got it in the hallway as a thank you..."

"What is it, what is it!? Can I see!?"

"Well, class is about to..."

"It's fine. Just take a quick look and put it away before the teacher gets here."

"Well, if you say so..."

Urged on from both sides, I checked the contents of the bag.

Clothes, huh? I'm clueless about fashion, but there's probably some kind of stylish jacket inside.

With that thought, I took out the contents.

"..."

I was speechless, my face a perfect blank.

"Wow! What a cute skirt!"

Erina-san clapped her hands with a smile.

Yes, what was inside was a skirt. A gothic lolita-style one, lavishly adorned with frills.

There seemed to be a top in there as well, and a quick glance confirmed it was also in the same gothic lolita style.

I gently placed the skirt back in the bag.

"Uh... tough break, man."

"I-It's not certain that it's harassment yet...!"

"...My [Spirit Eye] didn't pick up any mana from malice or hostility."

"What!?"

Ooyama-san and Busujima-san looked completely horrified. I covered my face again, the paper bag sitting in front of me.

Which is it? A joke made without ill intent, or are they dead serious? Please, let it be the former.

Erina-san's hand gripped my shoulder firmly.

"That's great, Kyouta! You have to show me sometime!!"

"I refuse, absolutely."

"Whyyyy!?"

Don't you 'whyyyy' me, you knucklehead.

I... I just don't understand people...!!