Coming to the movie theater is not a strange thing for me to do. Because I periodically visit it over the holidays. For people, some may consider the expenditure of points on the appreciation of movies as a waste but it's an unexpectedly important thing to have various interests too. As for me, movie appreciation is becoming a hobby of mine.

On top of it being ideal for relaxation, it also allows me to absorb new knowledge. Frequently, I have had my inquisitiveness stimulated by having a movie touch upon various subjects.

But even so, it's not like the movie I will be watching today is a movie made with such expertise. It's not a painfully sweet romantic movie that's watched by couples in the midst of Christmas fever either.

It's an action movie focusing on a small conflict between countryside mafia. There are days when I simply want to empty my head and watch the story. By the way, although the screening of this movie would end today, by no means is it a long-running masterpiece. It was a hopeless, B movie. As a result, I was able to reserve a seat with ease over the net but I continued to fret over whether to go watch or not, and ultimately on the last day of its screening, carried by a different purpose, it was a movie I had decided to go watch too.

After a brief interaction with the receptionist, I designated the time and movie I'll be watching. I was handed over a laminated sheet with the seating chart printed on it. By the way, a miscalculation occurred here. The seats in the far back I usually use for movie appreciation seemed to be full and there did not appear to be much free space.

Just with a slight delay in the screening of the scheduled popular movie, it seems the customers have turned their focus to this movie instead. On top of that, perhaps it's also because Christmas is near, but most of the seats were being reserved in sets of two.

Rather than not watch anything at all as a couple, let's watch at least one. It's probably something like that.

Feeling the center of the large opening in the front row would make it easy to watch, I told the operator that. As I did, luckily enough there seemed to be several vacancies in the center region, and I succeeded in securing a seat. I wonder if the popularity of the seats at the far ends have something to do with the presence or absence of couples? I don't know the circumstances of the movie theater in that regard.

Since there was still roughly around 20 minutes until the screening starts, I decided to kill time in the corner where pamphlets were displayed. And around 10 minutes before they started admitting people in, I entered alone.

From behind with a clatter, student couples enter. Sitting in the center of the front row, I patiently wait for the movie to begin. The seats around me begin to fill up from a relatively early point. I directed my gaze at the screen. Before the actual movie starts, I quite enjoy watching the preliminary announcements of movies soon-to-be screened.

That's why before those preliminary announcements occur, I always make sure to be at my seat. Rather than watching it from the TV in my own room, it stirs greater interest in me as to what movies I should watch next.

That sort of big screen is extraordinarily charming and it's no exaggeration to say that I've brought myself to the movie theater with that as my purpose.

However, right now, in the theater it's not a cheerful movie commercial that's happening but rather commercials of convenience store goods that are being played. Turning over soft and full rice with a spoon or scenes where crispy sea moss is being burned on top of nets. And footage of children eating completed rice balls also played.

As the screening time drew near and the seats began filling up gradually, I became curious as to what sort of situation is unfolding and lookied around.

The same row was now mostly filled and to the right of me sat a couple. To the left, one seat over sat another couple. Using the darkness to their advantage, the were holding hands with each other.

Even a movie of this quality still manages to bring in couples. Since the seat immediately to my left is still vacant, it would probably end up being a vacant seat up until the end.

There's no one who would come and listlessly watch a movie alone the day right before Christmas Eve. At the same time as I placed my phone in silent mode, just in case, I switched the power off as well. Then, around the same time I did that, the lights in the cinema gently dimmed and the preliminary announcement of the movie began.

This is the start of the exciting moments.

Then with that timing, a shadow fell on me from my left. One student then lowered herself onto the seat. It seems there's yet another odd person like me who came to see a movie alone on the day before Christmas Eve. Just by her choosing this movie alone I'd like to offer her my praise. As I thought that, I let my gaze slide over.

".................".

I ended up opening my mouth dumbly without thinking. The identity of that high school student was the student of Class C, Ibuki Mio. Just the day before, on the rooftop, after such a flashy incident occurred, an awkward feeling lingered.

Fortunately enough, the lights inside the movie theater have already been turned off. Not noticing me, Ibuki directed her gaze towards the screen. I'm in the camp of those who watch the movie until the end credits have finished playing, but if I stay until the very end the lights may come back on. No helping it, today I'll be retreating as soon as the end credits roll. However, I had a single miscalculation here.

That is, a problem that frequently occurs in movie theaters with the 'armrest'.

If I were in the corner, I would have been able to surely make exclusive use of both the left and right armrests. However, in seats other than the corner, it's always a battle for possession of the armrest.

As far as movie theater rules go, there are no regulations determining which armrest is whose and in a lot of cases, the early bird gets the worm. Since the couple that had arrived before I did were already making use of the armrest on my right, I had thought to use the armrest on my left but Ibuki casually placed her elbow on said armrest.

It's not like there wasn't enough shared room on the armrest for two, but just with minor things, elbow and elbow would end up touching. Perhaps she became aware of that, but Ibuki as though she were unconsciously trying to confirm the other side, looked towards me.

Naturally, since I was observing everything, our eyes met.

"Geh".

The voice that came out right away was such a disgusted sound from Ibuki. Due to the commercials and the preliminary arrangements going silent miraculously at that moment, I was able to hear that quite well.

"It's a coincidence, huh".

Feeling that not saying anything in itself would be quite unnatural, I called out to her. However, without answering me, Ibuki averted her gaze. It seems she intends on ignoring me.

That, too, lets me come to a clean decision that this makes things easier for me. Thinking that, I concentrated on the screen. However........

Ever since the screening started, I could feel a fixed gaze at me from Ibuki's side. Perhaps she was considerably curious regarding my presence, but it doesn't seem like she's focusing much on the movie.

Why don't you watch the movie properly? Is what I would like to ask her but as long as I can't speak in a loud voice during screening that would prove difficult. Then should I try whispering into her ear?

No, if I do such a thing, Ibuki might snap at me. Here I should simply endure Ibuki's gaze and spend the time pretending to not care. Fortunately, ever since childhood, I had been used to being 'monitored'.

Not letting anything I've realized in my mind show on the surface, I watched the movie. It's just if there is a problem, it's that the movie itself is not a very good one. Truly a B movie. Ever since the screening began, isn't it about time to stop being so repetitive, I wonder. From now on, in order to attack the enemy, the protagonist is about to storm the enemy territory and just before that climax.

Just before the scene that would make one's palms sweaty, suddenly the screen blacked out. At first thinking that it was some sort of performance, the students remained silent and continued to watch the screen. However, no matter whether we waited for 10 seconds or 20 seconds, neither the picture nor the sound showed any signs of progressing. This is strange? As I began thinking that, an announcement rang out inside the hall.

"We apologize for this inconvenience. Due to trouble with the equipment, the screening will be halted temporarily. This may be an inconvenience but please stand by for a few moments".

That announcement came forth. Even as students voiced their complaints all at once, it seems they've decided to quietly chat away while waiting.

"Somehow I'm not in luck.....".

As though she were directing it at me, Ibuki said that with a sigh. Does she mean to say the fault for the trouble with the equipment lies with me?

"It's also unexpected for me. To think you'd come to the movies today".

Towards me, she replied.

"It's none of your business when and what timing I come at, right?".

Perhaps she didn't like what I said, but she naturally gave me a rebuttal.

"Likewise".

That's why I answered like that to match her in the end.

"You're...........".

Saying something and then closing her mouth again for a moment, Ibuki opened her mouth once again with a strong gaze.

"Up until now, you've been secretly mocking me deep down inside. I cannot forgive that fact".

It's not like I don't understand Ibuki's feelings of anger, but she has no right to hold a grudge against me.

Even if I comfort her, even if I say that's not the case, such follow ups won't work on Ibuki. That was why I chose to adopt the best policy.

"That is power, Ibuki".

"Huh........?".

Only a part of the theater, between me and Ibuki, an uneasy atmosphere flowed. Of course, it came from Ibuki's side.

A sharp gaze was leveled at me filled with irritation and rage. But, without minding her, I continued speaking.

"No matter what the situation is, if you only had the power to overcome your opponent, it wouldn't have become a problem, isn't that right? Just because your opponent happened to be somewhat hiding their abilities, that alone should not have caused you to pay any heed. If you had stopped me, Ryuuen and the others could have won. At the very least, it could have been brought to end in a draw".

If after saying those caustic words, I had been beaten down on that rooftop, there would have been nothing lamer than that.

"That is.........".

That is something Ibuki absolutely cannot refute.

That is one's strength. Whether your opponent is hiding their abilities or not, that should have been a trifling matter.

"Besides, unlike Ryuuen and Sakayanagi, I have no intention of aiming for the upper classes nor do I have any intention of standing out through a one-man play. Naturally, because I don't want to stand out, I won't be showing off any unnecessary abilities. The fact that I fought against Ryuuen too, was a choice I had made after weighing my options on a scale and having decided there's no other choice. To mock my opponents, or look down on them, I've never even once thought of doing so".

This is not something I'm saying to comfort Ibuki. In a sense, Ibuki may be feeling even more humiliated than ever before. To humiliate one's opponent, that is in other words, to not even acknowledge them as a threat. But, what I'm trying to say is that to me, Ibuki is just like a stone on the side of the road.

".......I don't like it".

No matter how logically I put it, obviously it would be difficult for her to accept it emotionally.

"You say you don't want to stand out, but that's strange. If you hadn't done something to stimulate Ryuuen back on the uninhabited island, something like this would never have happened. No, even before that. If you had just overlooked Sudou's violence incident, that would have been it".

"That's right. You may be correct on that point".

If I had simply let Sudou be expelled, allowed Ibuki's tricks to throw Class D into disarray on the uninhabited island and allowed the shipboard test to proceed as normal, Ryuuen would not have eyed Class D in the first place. In particular, during the battle with Class B, I should have hid myself away.

"Even though you say various things with your mouth, you were using your abilities. Even though you were hiding, you were still using them".

I have the right to use my own abilities.

But, for Ibuki who wouldn't like that sort of phrasing, it must have been an unacceptable reality for her. Perhaps Ibuki had thought any further conversation would be a waste of her time but she gazed out at the blacked out screen. I too, without objection, let bygones be bygones. Either way, soon the screening will resume. Then my time with Ibuki would be over too.