The hallway fell dead silent.
Seeing two familiar faces standing about ten meters away with their eyes wide open, Mamoru objectively considered how his current situation must look from the outside.
A quiet time of day, on the way home from school, a girl grabbing the hem of a guy’s shirt.
‘…Isn’t this kinda bad?’ Depending on how you looked at it, it wasn’t impossible to mistake this for a couple flirting, with a girl acting sweet toward her boyfriend.
Of course, the reality was entirely different.
Normally, since the witnesses were acquaintances, all he would need to do was calm down and clear up the misunderstanding.
However, the problem here was how to explain his relationship with Fuka.
Even though the time he spent with Arisu had somewhat decreased since the test period started, that was only limited to after school.
They still acted together frequently on campus, so Arisu should well know that Mamoru had zero opportunities to interact with upperclassmen.
With Arisu’s keen insight, any cheap lie would likely be seen right through.
While Mamoru was mulling over this, Arisu received her cane—which Kamuro had picked up—and approached him.
“On your way home right now, Mamoru-kun?” It was a completely ordinary, routine smile, delivered in her usual tone.
Yet, Mamoru caught a faint sense of discomfort hidden within that expression.
“Yeah, just had a few things to attend to.” Showing agitation and hesitating now would be tantamount to admitting he had something to hide.
Mamoru pushed the strange feeling aside and answered as calmly as possible.
“Things to attend to?
Does it have anything to do with the lady next to you?” As expected, Arisu immediately pressed him.
Sensing an almost interrogative atmosphere in her tone, Mamoru realized the reason behind the discomfort he had felt moments ago.
‘Wait…
is she in a bad mood?’ The coercive attitude lurking behind that smile—looking at it, Mamoru felt that Arisu was annoyed.
Normally, if she stumbled upon a situation like this, her face would light up with a mischievous, delighted grin, having found new material to tease him with.
Thinking how unlike Arisu this was, Mamoru pondered the reason for her displeasure.
‘Is it that?
Like…
being frustrated that a friend—or rather, a toy—was stolen?’ The idea of Arisu feeling jealous over a stolen friend didn’t fit her image, but if he rephrased “friend” to “her possession,” it made sense in a way.
Though he couldn’t be entirely sure, having analyzed Arisu’s state of mind like that for the time being, Mamoru opened his mouth to reply before the silence became problematic.
“No, actually—” “—I’m the one who called him out.” “—yeah…” At that exact moment, Fuka spoke up right beside him, cutting off his words.
When Mamoru turned his gaze toward Fuka to see what on earth she was planning to say, she offered a relaxed, smirking confidence that practically said, Leave it to me.
Looking at that smile, however, Mamoru thought: ‘I have a terrible feeling about this.’ Even Mamoru didn’t think she was senseless enough to go around blabbering about Jujutsu and all that, but Fuka was a thrill-seeker by nature.
He couldn’t help feeling a different kind of anxiety.
“Let’s start with introductions.
I’m Fuka Kiryuin from Class 2-B.
And you two must be Sakayanagi and Kamuro from Class 1-A.” It appeared Fuka knew about Kamuro as well as Arisu.
She had likely learned about them when she looked into Mamoru’s background.
Arisu maintained a polite, superficial smile toward Fuka, who had suddenly cut into the conversation, but directed a probing gaze at her.
“An upperclassman, I see.
My apologies.
But how do you happen to know about us?” “Well, rumors of this year’s first-years have reached the upperclassmen as well.
I simply took a personal interest and looked into it.
I know you two as key figures in your class and those close to them.” Not a bad start.
That covered the justification for why Mamoru and Fuka had a connection.
If she framed it as getting curious about the class and subsequently taking an interest in Mamoru, it flowed naturally.
“…I see.
Did you get to know Mamoru-kun during that process, then?
For that being the case, you two seemed quite intimate, though.” “Hmm, did it look that way to you?
But that’s a misconception.” Hearing that far, Mamoru let out a quiet sigh of relief, thinking Fuka was actually going to clear up the misunderstanding properly.
However, it was too early to relax.
“After all, I confessed to him and got rejected.” ‘What is this person talking about?’ Since Arisu and Kamuro were watching, he didn’t display massive shock on his face, but without their presence, he would have stared dead at Fuka.
Arisu and Kamuro were also clearly unprepared for such a statement, their eyes widening slightly in surprise.
“A confession…?” Seeing Arisu looking bewildered was quite a rare sight.
Mamoru watched the events unfold with a sense of resignation, observing it almost like a bystander.
Fuka continued with a dignified demeanor that gave no hint of a lie.
“Yes.
As you surmised, I learned of his existence while looking into your class, and before I knew it, he stole my heart.
Goodness, it was my first time experiencing such feelings, so I was quite flustered.
Acting purely on impulse, I called him out just last week with a letter detailing my feelings, which led to my confession.” ‘It was practically a blackmail letter, though.’ It was all in the phrasing.
Watching Fuka spin a narrative that wasn’t technically a complete lie, Mamoru looked on with an exasperated expression, amazed by how smoothly her tongue moved.
However, Arisu wasn’t simple-minded enough to swallow that at face value.
“…Yet, if you’ll pardon me asking, you were rejected, correct?” It was strange for someone who got turned down to still hang around the person who rejected them.
Arisu posed the question back with a suspicious glance.
“Regrettably, he brushed me off, saying he has no intention of dating anyone right now.
However, unable to give up, I persistently pushed until he agreed to let us interact as friends.” Though a bit forced, it held together logically.
Mamoru thought about whether there could have been a better cover story, but knowing that speaking up now would only complicate things further, he refrained from commenting.
“…Is that story true, Mamoru-kun?” Sensing that she couldn’t read the truth from Fuka, Arisu turned her query to Mamoru this time.
But Mamoru replied with a nonchalant attitude, hiding his true thoughts.
“Yeah, well, that’s pretty much it.” While he didn’t care for the idea of floaty rumors spreading, as a compromise for their relationship, it wasn’t too bad.
If they were recognized as friends, it wouldn’t look unnatural even if he met Fuka on campus in the future.
“I see.
So the two of you are merely friends and not dating?” “Right.” “Then what was with that situation earlier?
And upperclassman, you mentioned you called him out—what were you doing at school at this hour?” It would have been easy if she had accepted the explanation, but she clearly hadn’t forgotten the scene from earlier.
Mamoru shot a glance at Fuka, asking what are you gonna do now?
“Hmm, you certainly have a vivid imagination.
Don’t tell me you thought we were doing something indecent in the school building after hours?” Fuka replied without a hint of panic, instead tossing back a teasing, lighthearted retort.
In response, Arisu smiled serenely and replied: “Oh no, not at all.
I know Mamoru-kun isn’t that kind of person.
It’s just that, as his friend, I can’t help but worry a little—wondering if he might be troubled by someone pushing themselves onto him forcefully.” “Haha, no need to worry.
When I invited him out to hang out today, he willingly agreed.
In fact, he even went out of his way to wait until my business was done.” “Was that so?
To me, it looked as though you were holding back Mamoru-kun as he was trying to leave.” “Did it look like that?
I was simply trying out a gesture I heard men like girls to do.
What about it, Mamoru?
Was it not to your liking?” ‘You’re passing it to ME now?!’ An utterly unprompted killer pass.
Looking at Fuka’s face, her mouth was curled up into a smirk, filled with amusement.
Seeing that expression, Mamoru became certain.
‘Yep, this person is totally enjoying this.’ He had felt their exchange was getting provoke-heavy on both sides for a while now.
Arisu’s reaction was somewhat understandable.
She was deeply curious and possessed a high sense of pride; she wasn’t the type to blindly accept something suspicious.
Her attempt to probe the opponent’s true motives made sense.
The problem was Fuka.
The goal here was to come up with a convincing excuse to satisfy the other party.
Using provocative words and actions was obviously counterproductive.
In short, Fuka was deliberately stirring up chaos just to enjoy the mess.
Mamoru regretted leaving the talking to Fuka, realizing his initial bad feeling had hit the mark.
But his ordeal didn’t end there.
“I see.
If that’s the case, then I’m curious as well.
Do you like this kind of gesture, Mamoru-kun?” Saying so, Arisu stepped closer to Mamoru, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and looked up at him with upturned eyes.
‘Hey, why are YOU joining in too?!’ Just seconds ago, she had been openly interrogating him with suspicion, but the moment she saw the conversation drifting toward something entertaining, she immediately jumped on the bandwagon.
‘These two are strangely on the same wavelength…’ At first, he had thought they might clash like oil and water due to their similar natures, but they had turned into a toxic combination in a completely unexpected way.
Mamoru internally gritted his teeth.
At any rate, getting dragged into their pace was a recipe for disaster, so Mamoru opened his mouth.
“Ah, yeah, yeah.
Very cute, very cute.
Now let go of me.” Denying or dodging the question here would only give them more ammunition.
By deliberately agreeing in a flippant tone, Mamoru indirectly asserted that teasing him any further would be boring.
“Hmm, I would prefer you say it with a bit more heart.” “Indeed.
If you’re going to compliment someone, you must do so with a more sincere attitude, Mamoru-kun.” ‘Why are you two teaming up to critique me?!’ They were acting with a level of harmony that made it hard to believe they were engaged in a hostile verbal sparring match just moments ago.
Watching them, the thought crossed his mind that it might be better to just leave them behind and go home.
However, if he did that, there was no telling what Fuka might fill her ears with.
While he was contemplating what to do, the sound of numerous footsteps and voices chatting echoed from the staircase.
“Hmm, it’s not ideal to stand around talking here.
Since we’re all here, why don’t you two join us for karaoke?” “I don’t mind.
I wanted to talk with you a bit more myself, upperclassman.” The two smiled at each other with daring grins that hid their true intentions.
Watching this unfold, Kamuro—who had been standing a short distance away watching with an exasperated look—decided she wanted no part of it and spoke up.
“I’ll pass.
If Gojo is with you, there’s no need for me to walk home with you anyway.” Slipping away to dump the hassle onto Mamoru, Kamuro approached to hand over Arisu’s bag.
Although it was her first time meeting Fuka, having been around Arisu for a long time gave her the instinct that Fuka possessed a troublesome personality.
Her desire to escape the headache radiated clearly.
“You mustn’t, Masumi-san.
It would be rude to turn down a invitation from an upperclassman.” Arisu released her grip on Mamoru’s shirt and instead grabbed Kamuro’s outfit as she drew near.
Although her tone was gentle, the firm grip conveyed an unyielding determination not to let her escape.
In truth, her physical grip strength probably wasn’t that strong, but given Arisu’s frail constitution, Kamuro couldn’t forcibly shake her off either.
‘Do something about this!’ Mamoru could feel Kamuro’s glare pleading with him, but he simply shook his head with a solemn expression.
‘Sorry, impossible.’ Mamoru pressed his hands together in prayer in his mind.
Whether his thought reached her or not, Kamuro shot him a resentful look before giving up and letting out a sigh of resignation without further resistance.
And so, the four of us made our way out of the school building after changing shoes, headed for the karaoke venue.
“Speaking of karaoke, Mamoru-kun…
about that duet with Masumi-san we promised before, please make sure to fulfill it.” “Huh?
What’s that about?” It was brought up casually as small talk along the way.
As Mamoru recalled if such a conversation had ever happened, Kamuro voiced her dissatisfaction, hearing it for the first time.
“Wait, I never promised anything like that.
Besides, wasn’t that supposed to be on Sakayanagi’s dime?” Even if Arisu were paying, singing a duet with someone based on her song choices guaranteed nothing but a future of being turned into a plaything, so he wanted no part of it.
Hearing this, Fuka chimed in.
“What’s this?
You had a conversation like that?
In that case, it’s my treat this time.
Sing with me, Mamoru.” Fuka declared.
Given their backstory where she had supposedly confessed to Mamoru, saying something like that as part of her approach wasn’t unnatural.
But to Mamoru, it looked like she wasn’t acting at all—she was just genuinely having fun.
Regardless, he pondered what the correct response would be based on that setup.
Accept or decline?
However, no matter how he answered, his motives could be interpreted in any way.
If anything, giving a calculated answer felt like it would sound even more unnatural, so Mamoru replied with his raw thoughts, trying not to overthink it.
“I don’t mind singing together, but don’t put in any weird songs, alright?
I don’t really know modern popular music either.” For Mamoru, singing with someone wasn’t a big deal.
In fact, considering he’d be singing in front of this specific group, singing solo sounded potentially more awkward, so he agreed.
“My, Mamoru-kun.
You accept the upperclassman’s invitation so readily.” “Because you, Arisu-san, are definitely planning to put on a weird song to mess with me.” “How rude.
But if that’s the case, would you sing with me instead?” “With you, Arisu-san?” “Yes.
It’s my first time going to karaoke, so singing alone feels a bit embarrassing.” As Arisu gazed at him with calculated, pleading eyes, Mamoru was actually surprised that she was genuinely planning to sing.
For Mamoru himself—and frankly, for everyone in this group—joining in and getting excited in a setting like this wasn’t really in their nature.
Wondering if she had an ulterior motive, Mamoru felt reluctant to refuse her after having just accepted Fuka’s request.
After thinking for a brief moment, he eventually nodded.
“I guess that’s fine.” “Fufu, I’m looking forward to it.
Since we’re all here, why don’t you sing with us too, Masumi-san?” “No way, sounds like a pain.
If you want to sing, go ahead.
I’ll pass.” Mamoru could completely understand why Kamuro felt that way.
Even if this group went to karaoke, it didn’t seem likely to turn into a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
Standing alone holding a microphone in such an awkward vibe would be quite a surreal sight.
‘Actually, this whole group really doesn’t suit karaoke at all, does it?’ Mamoru thought to himself, picturing the scene.
However, Arisu brushed Kamuro’s objection aside without hesitation.
“You can’t do that, Masumi-san.
I’ve heard that singing at least one song per person is proper karaoke etiquette.” “Who on earth taught you such nonsense?” Kamuro directed an accusatory glance toward Mamoru.
Given Arisu’s social circle, it made sense that he was a prime suspect, but it was a total false accusation.
Mamoru waved his hand in front of his face to deny it.
“We can’t leave only Masumi-san out and enjoy ourselves.
It’s a rare occasion, so let’s enjoy it together.” Her phrasing sounded considerate on the surface, but to Mamoru, it somehow looked like a boss forcing a subordinate to perform a party trick.
Although Kamuro was reluctant, she couldn’t stand up firmly against Arisu either.
Predicting that Kamuro would ultimately give in, Mamoru watched their interaction, only for Fuka, who was nearby, to whisper in his ear.
“Mamoru, once we reach the karaoke room, step out for about ten minutes.” She was likely taking advantage of Arisu’s attention being focused on Kamuro.
Hearing a serious tone completely different from before, Mamoru felt doubtful, but decided to trust her for now and gave a quiet nod.
Shortly after their exchange, the four arrived at the karaoke shop.
After quickly finishing the check-in and entering the room, Mamoru spoke up according to Fuka’s earlier instructions.
“I’m going to head to the restroom first, so go ahead and order whatever you want.” “Fine by me.
Don’t worry, we’ll just indulge in some girlish ‘girls’ talk,’ so take your time.” Fuka said to Mamoru as he put down his belongings.
What kind of conversation was she planning to have?
Holding a trace of anxiety, Mamoru quietly left the room, trusting that she wouldn’t pull any ridiculous stunts this time given her serious demeanor earlier.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– “Now then, I assume you have something you want to ask?” In the karaoke room after Mamoru left, Fuka brought up the topic with a light tone.
Listening to her, Arisu felt a slight tension in the air, distinct from before.
“It seems you were thoughtful enough to set this up.” “My, whatever do you mean?” Fuka played dumb in response to Arisu’s words.
While Kamuro looked confused about what was going on, Arisu saw right through the fact that Mamoru leaving the room just now was Fuka’s doing.
“You deliberately waited until Mamoru-kun left before bringing this up.
May I assume we can have a more constructive conversation than earlier?” “That depends on your questions.
More importantly, is it wise to waste time with such prefaces?” “Then let me ask you straight out.
That story about confessing to Mamoru-kun…
it was a lie, wasn’t it?” Though framed as a question, Arisu asked with complete conviction.
In response, Fuka showed no sign of composure slipping, offering an amused smile as she replied.
“Haha, quite the bold accusation right out of the gate.
Declaring a person’s confession a lie…
even I would feel hurt by that.” “You don’t sound like someone who feels hurt.
Your attitude toward Mamoru-kun feels somewhat different from romantic affection.
Even when I acted close to him, you didn’t show a single hint of jealousy.” Her sweet behavior at school, her invitation to sing on the way here—Arisu hadn’t done those things purely to tease him.
Her goal had been to observe Fuka’s reaction to those actions.
“Love takes many forms depending on the person.
In fact, if he desired it, I wouldn’t mind entering such a relationship with him at all.” “‘Wouldn’t mind’…
which means there was no actual confession from your end after all, correct?” To call it a slip of the tongue would be too blatant.
Fuka herself likely realized that since Arisu was so certain, trying to cover it up was pointless.
“It is a fact that you hold an interest in Mamoru-kun.
And since Mamoru-kun himself did not deny the confession, there is a secret between the two of you that cannot be made public.
Am I wrong?” “I wouldn’t call that ‘brilliant deduction.’ It’s merely speculation.
But even if that were true, is digging into other people’s secrets a hobby of yours?” “Oh?
Isn’t it natural to want to know more about one’s friend?” “Prying into areas someone doesn’t want you touching…
can that really be called the act of a good friend?” “Then why is it that you, who should have only met him recently, have already stepped into that area?” For Arisu, the nature of their shared secret was certainly intriguing, but what puzzled her even more was the distance between them.
Possessing exceptional insight that both she and others acknowledged, Arisu had picked up through daily interactions that Mamoru maintained an absolute line between himself and others that he would never yield.
Everyone builds a wall between themselves and others, but in Mamoru’s case, it appeared exceptionally subtle yet rock-solid to Arisu.
That was precisely why it didn’t add up.
‘How did she manage to step past it?’ During their exchange at school, Mamoru seemed to think Arisu and Kamuro couldn’t hear their conversation, but Arisu had caught fragments of it.
There was no concrete proof, but Arisu felt that the wall existing between Mamoru and themselves simply wasn’t there when it came to Fuka.
A woman who had likely only met him recently had achieved what Arisu couldn’t, even after spending over a month with him.
Arisu herself wasn’t conscious of what that feeling was at the time.
She only remembered that before she knew it, her cane had slipped from her hand and rolled onto the floor.
Recalling that moment brought an unpleasant sensation to the depths of her chest, yet Arisu maintained her composed smile as she continued speaking.
“To prevent any misunderstanding, let me clarify: I have no intention of trying to wring Mamoru-kun’s secrets out of you.” Even if she asked, she didn’t expect an honest answer.
Above all, Arisu herself felt a strange hesitation about obtaining that information from this woman.
“Hmm.
Then what do you want to ask?” In response to Fuka’s prompt, Arisu carefully chose her words before opening her mouth.
“…What did you see in Mamoru-kun?” The moment Fuka heard that question, she let out a quiet “hmmm,” her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Arisu.
“That’s quite a loaded question.
You almost make it sound as if he isn’t normal.” “Let me turn that around: does Mamoru-kun look normal to you?” At Arisu’s words, Fuka chuckled amusedly from the back of her throat.
“Ah, fair enough.
Indeed, I’m not bored enough to take an interest in an ordinary man.
But before I answer that, let me ask you a question in return.
How does Gojo Mamoru look to you girls?
What about you, Masumi Kamuro?” “Huh?
Me?” Suddenly being dragged into the conversation after being a bystander left Kamuro flabbergasted.
“Just as a reference point.
Before I hear Sakayanagi’s answer, I’d like to hear the opinion of another classmate.” Although Fuka framed it that way, Arisu saw right through her intention.
Asking Arisu directly might lead to a hesitant or evasive answer.
By having Kamuro answer first, she was creating a natural flow for Arisu to respond next.
“How does he look…?
Just like a normal, diligent, honor-student type…
I guess.” Since Fuka was an upperclassman, Kamuro replied using polite language.
“Hmm, reasonable enough.
Sakayanagi, do you share the same impression?” Commenting on it, Fuka naturally transitioned the turn to Arisu.
Although it was somewhat annoying to be maneuvered like this, Arisu decided that dragging it out further was a waste of time and answered honestly.
“…A child chasing nothing but an ideal, perhaps.” “A child?
Him?” Kamuro made a puzzled face, unable to connect that answer with her impression of Mamoru, while Fuka’s smile deepened with intrigue.
“If I had to put it into words, that is.
I don’t possess a truly adequate term for him myself.” “What made you think that?” “I answered your question.
Isn’t it your turn now, upperclassman?” “Don’t be so rigid.
I have no obligation to answer your question in the first place.
I’d like to hear your explanation first as payment.
And along with it, what you felt once you understood it.” “…I suppose I have no choice.” To organize her own feelings toward Mamoru once more, Arisu began to reflect back.
“…In the past, I once saw a boy who grew up without knowing parental affection.” As she spoke, she recalled the image of a boy growing up in a white room, viewed through a glass window where her father had taken her.
“His eyes seemed similar to that boy’s, yet felt somewhat different.” The boy in the white room simply didn’t know affection due to his environment.
But Mamoru was different.
For Arisu, observing his daily conduct was enough to tell he came from a good upbringing.
That was precisely why it felt, in a sense, even more deeply rooted.
“He expects nothing from others.” He understands everyday life, understands consideration for others, and yet maintains a state of expecting absolutely nothing for himself.
“Whenever someone reaches out to help another, some form of expectation is born.
It’s not limited to rewards or the sense of superiority from saving someone.
Even people who act out of pure goodwill expect words of gratitude or wish for the other person to be happy.
But Mamoru-kun lacks even that.” Having possessed exceptional insight since childhood and having been aided by various people due to her innate physical disability, Arisu knew this well: human actions always stem from some desire.
Wanting a reward, or wanting the other person to be happy—both could be rephrased as desires or wishes.
If so, then what was Mamoru thinking when he reached out to help people?
“On the day of the entrance ceremony, Mamoru-kun told me: ‘You’ve never seen a true genius, have you?’ The longing in his eyes at that moment was incredibly intense.” Arisu could never forget his eyes from that moment.
Respect, yearning, trust, envy, worship, faith, jealousy, grief, resignation, despair…
While submerged in a chaotic swirl of all those mixed emotions, the feeling of yearning burned brighter than anything else.
That someone could look at another person with those eyes—and that at the same time, her own existence was not reflected in those eyes—struck Arisu with profound shock.
Recalling those emotions, Arisu realized the true nature of the unpleasant feeling she had harbored toward Fuka earlier.
‘Ah…
I was jealous, wasn’t I?’ Once she acknowledged it, accepting her own feelings felt surprisingly seamless.
Thinking back, she realized how unlike herself she had been acting—endlessly probing for answers despite knowing no satisfying answer would come of it.
After gazing into the distance for a brief moment, Arisu turned back to Fuka and spoke.
“Mamoru-kun is likely looking only at the figure he yearns for—the image of who he believes he ought to be.” Helping others was merely part of becoming the person he believed he should be.
Therefore, he allowed no extraneous emotions to interfere.
Believing what is right simply because it is right—an existence truly like that of a child.
In a way, thanks to Fuka, she had realized what she felt toward Mamoru and what she wanted to do.
“He is a child.
A child blindly believing only in what he trusts and deems right.
However, a person who lives solely on duty and responsibility will surely be crushed someday.
I simply want to teach him how to play.” Arisu Sakayanagi hated boredom.
Many described her as aggressive or obsessed with control, but at her core, she simply wanted to play games with others.
Controlling her class was merely preparing the board; taking a hostile stance toward opponents was because she wanted adversaries to play against.
Arisu knew that a game couldn’t be played alone.
“I have answered your question.
Now it is your turn.” Having sorted out her inner feelings, Arisu stared at Fuka with a more composed demeanor than before.
“Hmm, I must say I’m surprised.
Your impression of Mamoru is almost identical to mine.” “‘Almost’…
meaning there are differences?” “Yes.
You called him a child, but from my perspective, he’s someone who wasn’t allowed to be a child.
I get the impression that somewhere along the line, he left behind the period where he should have been a child.” Hearing that, Arisu felt it fit into her mental picture of Mamoru as well.
However, this alone was insufficient as the answer she sought.
“That’s quite a vague answer.
For my part, I would like to know the circumstances behind how you became interested in Mamoru-kun.” “Regrettably, I can’t tell you that.
While it’s not that I made a promise with Mamoru…
there are too many inconvenient details.
Even if I were expelled, I couldn’t reveal it.” Hearing this, Arisu sent a dissatisfied glance toward Fuka.
After making Arisu talk that much, Fuka’s response was far too unbalanced in return.
Perhaps Fuka realized this herself; after pondering for a moment, she spoke up.
“However, you’ve shared quite an interesting story with main.
As thanks, allow me to give you a piece of advice.” “Advice?” “Yes.
If you two were building a friendship as ordinary students, it wouldn’t be necessary.
But in your case, Sakayanagi, I thought it best to warn you.” Saying so, Fuka met Arisu’s eyes directly, her expression turning serious as she spoke.
“If you only intend to reach out half-heartedly, you had better stay away from him.
You’ll only end up regretting it.” Her expression and voice were completely different from her previous nonchalant demeanor.
That shift imparted an even greater sense of gravity to Arisu.
“…That’s quite a self-serving thing to say.
And I assume you have no intention of explaining the reason for that either?” “Yeah.
If I were to explain within the bounds of what I can say: earlier, you said Mamoru blindly believes in what he thinks is right, but the content of what he considers ‘right’ doesn’t consist solely of good deeds as the world generally perceives them.
If you intend to get involved with him, be prepared to fall into hell together with him.” This warning likely came from genuine goodwill.
But at the same time, it made Arisu realize: Fuka knew a side of Mamoru that Arisu didn’t.
That fact provoked Arisu’s pride.
“…Hell, is it?
Speaking like that, do you possess that kind of resolve yourself?” “Who knows?
I haven’t seen the sights of that hell myself yet, after all.” “Huh?
What is that supposed to mean?” Telling her to be prepared to fall into hell while admitting she didn’t know it herself—Kamuro, watching from the side, let out an exasperated voice at that ridiculous statement.
“I’m saying one needs the resolve to face suffering whose full extent remains unknown.
Still, I must say…
if it’s with Mamoru, a life spent challenging King Enma wouldn’t be so bad.” A relaxed smile had returned to Fuka’s face as she spoke.
Seeing it, Arisu smiled brightly in return.
“Thank you for the advice.
However, Kiryuin-senpai, you seem to be misunderstanding something.” “A misunderstanding?” “I have no desire to fall into hell with Mamoru-kun.
I simply want to teach him that the scenery he is looking at isn’t everything.
Rather than falling down to where he is, I intend to make him crawl all the way up to where I am.” At Arisu’s tone, Fuka’s smile deepened with genuine amusement.
“Heh…
so you’re like an angel leading Mamoru to heaven, then?” “Does it not suit me?” To the side, Kamuro could be seen quietly nodding her head in disagreement, but Arisu ignored her and kept her eyes on Fuka.
“No, well…
do as you like.
Personally, I rather like it, Sakayanagi.” “Fufu, I’m honored.” Half of it was social courtesy, but the other half was fairly sincere.
Leaving aside the fact that Arisu hadn’t been entirely calm during today’s conversation, she felt her compatibility with Fuka’s personality wasn’t half bad.
Arisu and Fuka smiled pleasantly at each other.
To an outsider, it would look like a heartwarming scene between two beautiful girls, but to anyone who knew their true natures, it looked like nothing short of an ominous spectacle.
Watching them, Kamuro could be heard muttering under her breath: “Which part of that is an angel…?” ‘Note: After this, Sakayanagi-san was gleefully browsing through the penalty game menu at the karaoke place.’ –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Author’s Note The main point I wanted to write in this chapter was Sakayanagi-san’s shift in mindset.
While not quite full-blown romance yet, the goal was to have her understand her own feelings of jealousy and develop an awareness of Mamoru-kun as a more equal friend.
I feel like I went a bit overboard near the end, though.
Seriously, what was I trying to write…