Chapter 18: I’ll Save You (Souta’s Point of View)
At the back of the classroom, the loud popular group was making a huge racket, shouting way way and spraying noise everywhere.
Apparently, they were making a big deal out of Yukiya and Kanae.
Honestly, I don’t get what’s so stupidly exciting about it. Couldn’t they use their time and energy a bit more productively?
Well, I guess that’s their way of living, so I won’t deny it.
Still, the pointless, meddlesome atmosphere spreading through the class, like they’re cheering on Yukiya and Kanae’s relationship, makes me feel sick with discomfort and anger.
Childish romance-first fantasies, vulgar speculation, irresponsible instigation. Give me a break.
Of course, I don’t show any of those negative feelings on my face. I generally stick to silence and a blank expression in the classroom.
By doing that, I keep pointless interactions with others to a minimum.
Anyway, I made it through the exhausting morning with a poker face, and eventually, lunch break arrived.
“Hey, Kanae…”
I turned toward Kanae to tell her about my plans for lunch.
I had to go to the student council room to prepare something to counter Yukiya’s misdeeds, so I didn’t have time to dote on Kanae today.
However…
“Yuki-kun!”
Despite my attempt to explain, Kanae once again loudly called out to Yukiya and ran over to him.
On top of that, the irresponsible and transparently fake hype from the girls in class, saying things like “Go get him” and “Be happy,” only amplified my disgust.
“Tch…”
I let my hidden loner dark side slip out, and it seems a nearby girl noticed.
“Um… hey, what’s wrong…?”
But like the loner I am, I just replied shortly with “It’s nothing,” and left the area.
From behind me, I could hear voices saying things like, “If you look closely, his face is actually pretty good,” and “He’d be handsome if it weren’t for that.”
Well, I’m used to unfair treatment and being stuck low in the hierarchy. That’s just how it is for a loner. Besides, since I don’t want to stand out in the first place, being at the very bottom of the class caste on the surface is ideal.
More importantly, I don’t have time to worry about that right now. For my duty and for my childhood friend, I have to act.
And so, first things first, I headed to the student council room.
The student council room was empty. Normally, Azaka-senpai would be there, but she was probably out with Rinka and Chris to arrange calling Kanae in after school.
“Perfect timing.”
I borrowed the printer in the student council room to print out something important, the photo that might serve as evidence of Yukiya’s misdeeds, the kiss scene with Kanae.
Thinking about my childhood friend being defiled makes it feel like black flames are swirling in my chest, but I endure it, treating it as a necessary, stomach-churning part.
Besides, this is just insurance. I might not even need to use it, but once I decide to act, I’m the type who shows absolutely no mercy.
After that, I slipped several printed copies of the evidence photos into a convenient envelope and hid them on me.
Before I knew it, lunch break was already in its latter half.
To give Yukiya a clear warning, I decided to lie in wait in front of the stairs leading to the courtyard.
And after waiting a few minutes.
Just as I planned, I managed to face Yukiya one-on-one, right after he parted ways with Kanae.
I let my fighting spirit surge forth.
“Hey, Yukiya. You’d better stop hanging around Kanae.”
I glared at him with firm resolve.
“I told you before, right? Kanae has someone else she’s interested in, so it’s a nuisance for you to keep hovering around.”
In response, Yukiya showed a pained expression and spoke of his feelings for Kanae like he was coughing up blood. He also made excuse after excuse, saying he’d already been rejected once but still couldn’t give up, and that today Kanae was the one who invited him.
I was surprised that Yukiya had confessed to her, but I refuted everything, one point after another, without mercy.
In the end, Yukiya hung his head with a dark expression.
Good grief. Do I need one more push?
“I don’t know who the person Kanae likes is either, but your actions could make that person misunderstand things and end up causing trouble for Kanae, you know?”
This time, Yukiya finally let out a strained “You’re right…” with a deeply troubled look.
Honestly, I can’t believe I had to spell it out this much. This is why I hate dealing with other people. Still, I guess Yukiya finally knows his place now.
As for why I didn’t directly accuse him here and now about forcing Kanae to kiss him, that’s partly because I want to hear Kanae’s own feelings first, and partly the last shred of mercy for Yukiya as a fellow childhood friend.
But when the truth comes out, he’ll have to accept the consequences. He laid hands on my childhood friend, so I won’t hold back.
Haha, I’m getting fired up again. When it comes to Kanae, I really can’t help but get heated. Seriously, what a troublesome childhood friend she is.
“Well, that’s how it is, so rein in your irresponsible behavior, Yukiya.”
Feeling satisfied for now, I left the scene.
After school, Azaka-senpai and the others are set to call Kanae in. That’s when everything will be brought into the open.
I entered the classroom with a refreshed feeling. The vulgar noise filling the room no longer disturbed my mind.
From there until after school was just a formality for me. Even so, Yukiya tried to act normal around others despite being visibly dispirited, and his pitiful state made even me let out a wry smile.
Kanae also seemed to be worried about Yukiya while being surrounded by the others, but well, Kanae’s soft-hearted like that, and I watched it with a tolerant mindset.
After all, everything would be settled by after school today.
Classes ended, and destiny’s after-school arrived. I secretly followed Kanae as she left the classroom and made sure she properly entered the student council room.
The fact-finding would probably begin now.
Given my position, it’d make sense for me to be present too, but I’ll leave this to the girls and their circle of friends.
So, just to lightly check what they were talking about, I went into the empty classroom next door and strained my ears toward the voices leaking out of the student council room.
“Tch… it’s hard to make anything out.”
I could hear voices, but only fragments of what they were saying. And as time went on, it sounded like things were getting livelier. Was the talk about Yukiya forcing her already over?
Damn it. Maybe I really should’ve been there after all. No, it’s not too late even now.
Thinking that, I left the empty classroom, and just then, Kanae was coming out of the student council room as well.
Haha, coming out at the same time. Looks like Kanae and I really are bound by fate. It’s like the world itself won’t allow the two of us to be separated anymore.
Seriously, good grief.
With my chest burning hot, I followed my destiny and called out to Kanae.
“Yo, Kanae.”
“Eh, Souta-kun?”
For some reason, Kanae was clutching her phone and turned toward me, looking unsettled.
Seeing the sorrowful look on her face made my chest tighten, and the words came naturally.
“Kanae… I don’t know what happened, but you’ve got our friends and me on your side.”
Then Kanae’s face crumpled as she muttered,
“Souta-kun… Yuki-kun, Yuki-kun is…!”
Just as I thought. It seems my reading was right. Yukiya, you’d better be prepared.
My heart raged, and my fighting spirit naturally flared up, but right now, taking care of my childhood friend comes first.
I calmed myself and spoke to Kanae.
“Hey, Kanae… you don’t need to worry about Yukiya.”
As I kept talking, my heart started to burn.
“What matters is your true feelings, right?”
And then, the soul-shaking words.
“You should be honest and confront the person you have feelings for.”
I spoke them aloud.
“They’ll definitely respond. I guarantee it.”
The moment I said that, a shiver ran through me, and I felt power welling up inside.
That’s right. It’s no one else but me. I’m the one guaranteeing Kanae’s feelings.
Fired up, I decided to take one more step today.
“I also… think of you as someone special, Kanae…”
After saying this much, even dense Kanae should be able to catch on. Throwing such an obvious pass like this, even I have to admit I’m way too soft on Kanae.
And Kanae, receiving that, flushed red, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes as she covered her mouth with both hands and let out an emotional voice.
“Souta-kun… thank you…!”
It sounded exactly like, you understand me, you knew how I felt.
And so, on this day, the relationship between Kanae and me was decided.