Yuu-4

“…Suzaku-san,” I called out towards the villainous student council president’s back just as he finished receiving Kuriu-sensei’s approval for his doc.u.ments and was about to head home.

“Mm, what is it?”

“Does that room get used often?”

“When the teachers aren’t using it… let’s see. They lend out the key quite often. That’s because a lot of odd jobs pile up towards the school festival.”

“Does everyone use it?”

“Sometimes people are alone in there, but other times they’re not.”

“Is it always decided in advance which members use it?”

“Well… sometimes the key gets lent out to people outside the student council. I don’t know about those times. I do intend to choose people I trust.” Suzaku’s well-shaped eyebrows furrowed in discomfort. “More importantly, what sort of business is making you stay behind at school?”

Thus, he openly avoided the topic. “More importantly” is clearly a stock phrase used by people with a guilty conscience!

“This and that. More importantly, what sort of conversation were you having just now with that girl over there? Given that random-something-or-other rumour, you must have some very important business if it warrants a young boy and girl to fraternise at this time of the night!”

“That’s a bit rich coming from you.” There was a gleam in Suzaku’s eyes. Ahh, what an unpleasant gaze. “I don’t appreciate such unsubstantiated gossip. A sensible person wouldn’t help spread discomfort because they think it’s funny. These days, it’s even been a topic for staffroom meetings. Right, Kuriu-sensei?”

“Huh?” The conversation had suddenly turned to Kuriu-sensei. “O-Oh, yes… It’s not very nice to spread rumours like that…” she responded, looking down at her feet.

“…And there you have it. You should be mindful of that too, Chigusa-kun. Now then, I’m making her wait so I’ll get going now. Please excuse me, Kuriu-sensei.”

Suzaku cut off the conversation and went out into the hallway. Hm? I might just be imagining it, but he changed the topic quite deftly, did he not?

I was about to call him to a halt when he seemed to antic.i.p.ate me. As he looked over his shoulder, he threw me a sharp look.

“I’ve been hearing a few rumours about you lately, Chigusa-san. I don’t believe them, but you should take care.”

“Huh.”

Before I could tilt my head to confirm what he was saying, the door slammed shut.

Since I am the perfect girl who pushes the boundaries of what humans can achieve, I am the subject of many rumours. There are not enough hours in the day for me to pay heed to each and every one of them. A swan shuts its ears to a frog’s croak.

“…Huuuh…”

Kuriu-sensei, who had been holding her breath, let out a deep sigh in front of the low table.

“I’m sorry, Kuriu-sensei. I’ve been using so much of your time.” I lowered my head.

“Oh, no…” she interjected. “I just get a little nervous in front of Suzaku-kun, even though as a teacher I know I shouldn’t.”

She dropped her gaze in embarra.s.sment. I wondered if Kuriu-sensei had trouble dealing with male students. Or perhaps she was looking down upon Kusaoka-san, a life form who resembled that suave student council president and yet didn’t? It was a difficult judgement to make.

“Hey, Haruma-san.” I paused. “Haruma-san? Where’s Haruma-san?!”

Before I knew it, Kusaoka-san had vanished from the seat beside me. It was a disappearing act that would surprise even Mr. Malic, the most accomplished of magicians. That I could not even feel his presence made me wonder if this was beyond mere magic. Praise be!

“All right then, Sensei, thank you for your time. Please excuse me.”

“Oh my, I wonder if it’s okay that you didn’t find what you lost.”

At any rate, I had to follow Suzaku, student council president and evil incarnate. After saying goodbye to Kuriu-sensei, I went out into the hallway, where I encountered who else but Kusaoka-san, who had magicked himself away. As it turned out, he was safe and sound.

“My goodness, what a pleasant surprise! You’re still alive!”

“Just what did you think happened to me?”

Kusaoka-san was also trembling with joy at reencountering me. He had the eyes of a young boy gazing through a display window at something he pined over. So he was that lonely from being without me. An honest person deserves gold bromide. At this moment in time, a thirty-five year loan was a great deal!

“In any case, we must follow the student council president before he leaves the school.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I get the feeling he’s still hiding something.”

“And your basis for this is…?”

“Women’s intuition.”

Kusaoka-san made a sound like uh-huuuh and shrugged. Even though I started walking, he did not follow suit. Perhaps the silver bromide twenty-year loan was a better fit for him?

“No need to get diverted,” he said. “Isn’t it your job to question the main bra.s.s about the true ident.i.ty of the loan shark?”

“I am talking to the main bra.s.s.” I pointed at the staffroom door agitatedly. “Hold on a moment, please. Haruma-san, could it be that you suspect Kuriu-sensei?”

“Well, she’s one of the choices.”

“I do not think that Sensei is the loan shark,” I declared with feeling.

“Why?”

“Anyone who is into loansharking must have a rotten personality.”

Anyone who would go so far as to lend out money with a high interest rate to people they barely know must only think about money. Money is everything to them. Even if one or two of their clients were to go missing, they would respond with anger and disdain of all things, never once showing an ounce of concern. They are the lowest of the low as far as human beings are concerned.

But Kuriu-sensei was not like that. The agony she felt over the successive disappearances of her students came across to me loud and clear.

“Her behaviour is not an act.”

“That sure is persuasive coming from you.”

“Hm? What ever do you mean?”

“You’re just proving my point.” Kusaoka-san shrugged with feigned ignorance.

“Let me ask you a question in return. Why do you suspect her?”

“It’s a matter of not letting a suspect off the hook just because of the impression they make. If your argument doesn’t hold water, then I won’t believe it.  Isn’t that a given when it comes to human relations?”

“I believe in my opinions. Do I need any more reason than that?”

“Well, yeah. Your opinion is not my opinion.”

Kusaoka-san stubbornly refused to nod along with me. He was normally so cooperative, so why was he taking such a contrarian stance today? Was there a physiological reason for that? Ah, wouldn’t that be more likely to apply to me?

I cut off my thoughts, filled with so many of those oh-so-hilarious pickup lines which were popular on the streets, and then breathed in and out slowly. Nothing good springs from conflict. I was born into a peaceful country that attempts to solve problems simply through dialogue.

“Haruma-san, let’s make up. Please. Just like before. Isn’t that how we were until now?”

“I’m the same as I ever was. I’m just speaking my mind now.” Kusaoka-san sighed and looked straight into my eyes. “I wanna go home. I’m more desperate to go home than any corporate slave in the world. From the moment we met, my feelings haven’t changed. You might have free time, but I don’t. Seriously, I don’t.”

“Weren’t you following me happily until now? Weren’t you lending me your strength? What made you change your mind so suddenly…?”

“Hold up, let me correct you. There was not one moment when I was happy. And isn’t your idea of ‘lending your strength’ just making others do the dirty work for you?”

“Well, I can’t deny that.”

“You’re basically agreeing with me…”

Kusaoka-san hung his head quietly. I see now. Kusaoka-san might not have changed much at all. Even on the roof, at MOL Burger and during our investigation, he was always like this.

If that was the case, who was the one who had changed?

Of course, there was no way that I, the eternally perfect girl, would change, so an unseen third person had to be in the picture. Oh dear, Kusaoka-san was saying something very frightening.

…So then what was the pang in my heart?

Whenever I ruminated on Kusaoka-san’s words, a strange pang crept up in my heart. It was a peculiar, uncontrollable aggravation. At first, I was perplexed by these emotions I had never allowed myself to acknowledge before, and then gradually I became chafed by them.

“…Haruma-san. Are you aware of the organisational doctrine that the German officer Hans von Seeckt was said to have advocated?”

“Seeckt? Wasn’t he the guy who said that anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, the clever and diligent should go to the General Staff, the stupid and lazy are suited to routine duties, and the stupid and diligent should die?”

“Indeed. I am the clever and lazy person. Therefore, I am in command.”

“If you say so.”

“I am also the clever and diligent person. In other words, I am also the one who writes the battle plans.”

“Uh-huh.”

“That leaves the other two roles to you. Do you understand what I am trying to say?”

“Nope, not a clue.”

Our argument was gradually reaching boiling point. Alternatively, one might call it a one-sided affair.

When it comes to human relationships, the three F’s are a necessity: Flatter, frighten and follow. So far, I had been flattering Kusaoka-san more than enough. Even though I, as the commander and staff, had been given the honour of directing the way, why did he not work according to my thoughts?

At last, I took an angry step forward.

“Please don’t complain about such trivial things—you sc.u.m!”

After flattery came frightening. My frightening tactic was a direct form of verbal abuse, plain and simple. A flash of regret pa.s.sed through my mind when I uttered those words I should not have said, but there was no taking back those words once they were out of my mouth. Indeed. Kusaoka-san was sc.u.m who could never be compared to me. Is it not a fact of life that lower-cla.s.s people follow their superiors?

“p.a.w.ns are only necessary for their manpower. Their thoughts are not necessary! Haruma-san, you are sc.u.m, so shut up and listen to what I say!”