Chapter 198
Influence
The day after I spent my day off sick. My normal daily life at school resumed. After a day, I had already gotten used to the discomfort of not being able to use my left hand, and I realized that as long as I really tried, I could do everything with just my dominant hand. Now, I just had to be careful not to use my left hand unconsciously.
I asked Mom to drive me to school and drop me off not far from the school gate. Like Natsukawa said, I might have been too optimistic, because I thought that I could relax with an injury to my left hand. As I quietly got out of the Light Wagon, the students of Kōetsu High School who were walking nearby gasped in surprise. Yeah, that's right, because in reality, I wasn't a school celebrity — so there was no reason to be surprised.
"Big Sis... ...you really stand out."
"I'm not doing this because I like it."
Here comes the 49th Student Council Vice President of our beloved Kōetsu High School.
Just imagine, on a path where there should be no danger, there was a beast that suddenly appeared and let loose behind this little boy whose left hand was injured and helpless. That would have been unbearable. I would naturally feel terrified.
The way Big Sis glared at the goal with that triangular mouth of hers made her look like a giant swearing revenge on Momotarō*.
She usually walks to school, but she's always picked up by car, so she doesn't have to bother, but this time her eyes looked sad. Just crossing paths with her was enough to drain my energy. I don't know what the makeup on her face is for anymore.
(TL Note: Momotarō is a Japanese folktale that tells the story of a super strong guy named Momotarō who went to eradicate giants.)
"Let's get going."
"..."
The admiring gazes of the boys. And Big Sis who kept walking in front of me, ignoring the yellow chirps from the girls. Why did she keep going in the middle of the road when she looked so upset? Move aside, it's a bad way to go to the temple. Don't walk with the wind, it'll hit my face like Kamaitachi*.
(TL Note: Kamaitachi is a kind of yōkai in Japanese mythology, usually in the Kōshin'etsu area.)
"Did you bring painkillers and replacement bandages?"
"Of course I brought them."
I answered honestly to Big Sis who confirmed it while looking ahead. Apparently, she thinks I'm an idiot who can't even handle my own injuries. I thought to myself that it was a little disturbing, but as I thought about it calmly, I realized that I was in no position to say anything about it since I had put the scissors into my hand myself.
"What about the materials for the next Sports Festival and the draft outline for the Student Council Officials election?"
"Of course not."
What did you say without making eye contact, girl? ...I'll keep Big Sis quiet until she retires from the Student Council Officials. I won't let me do her job if I'm not in the Student Council Officials. I'm not in the Student Council Officials, so don't give me any tasks, okay.
"Why are we walking together to the school gate like this?"
"It's because the courtyard is so big."
"...Huh?"
"...Huh?"
"—Hey, you guys, siblings from the countryside over there."
As a rare breath felt like overlapping blood relations, a stern and bold voice, as if throwing a cutter in the air, was thrown at us. The first time I saw, I saw? Shinomiya-senpai, standing by the school gate, was looking at us with a reproachful gaze.
"What are you complaining about in the morning when you think you're going to school together? You're just draining my energy."
"Rin-chan, please carry me to the classroom."
"You're rude, Shinomiya-senpai, not looking like the President of the Disciplinary Committee. If you carry Big Sis this time, I'll pretend you didn't ask."
"Wh-What the heck is... ...this disturbing matter?"
In a situation where my frustrations are piling up, an honest and serious existence like Shinomiya-senpai is the perfect vomit. I want you to accept my thoughts, what I need right now is a "reliable" type of young maiden. I don't need the "ora-ora" type of young maiden.
"Geez... what kind of tragedy has befallen you Student Council Vice President... ...you look really messed up. Maybe she was a bit distracted after the Cultural Festival?"
"That's right, Student Council Vice President. Don't radiate a menacing vibe around you with those cloudy eyes. And do your own work."
"You guys are little..."
"Hey, guys, please don't use me as a shield."
"Eek."
If she was just an ordinary person, she could be called a fleshy wall, but if she was Shinomiya-senpai, she would really be an iron wall and could protect me. I thought I could defeat Big Sis right now, but just then Shinomiya-senpai grabbed me by the tie and pulled my tie in front of her. As the two martial arts experts glared at me, all I could do was retreat.
"Huh... ...I mean, since the Cultural Festival is over, so now you're in charge of the next Sports Festival, right? We'll just take a quick look, sign it and get out of here."
"That's true, though... ...that's not what I'm talking about. It's about the student code of conduct. ...Hmm?"
As I shielded my head with both hands in a self-protective reaction, Senpai grabbed my left wrist and lifted it gently. As I shifted my gaze from the back of my hand to the inside, she changed the color of her eyes and looked at me.
"Oh, isn't that a serious injury!? How could this happen?!"
"Y-You see...?"
Judging from the panicked look on her face, Shinomiya-senpai probably knew nothing about this injury on my left hand. When I looked at Big Sis, she crossed her arms and silently shook her head. I don't think Big Sis has told Shinomiya-senpai anything yet.
"Oh... ...this is..."
"I'll explain it to you. You can quickly go to the classroom there."
"O-Ouch..."
Just as I was about to tell you what happened, the back of Big Sis' hand pushed my shoulder backwards. A strong force pushed me through the school gate and into the courtyard. I could feel her intention to make me not say yes or no. Shinomiya-senpai's sharp eyes were directed directly at Big Sis, asking what exactly happened.
"...Then, I'll leave first."
A confrontation between two people with high individual values. As long as you don't get into trouble. 'You can only avoid trouble if you don't get involved.'. Even though I was the party who was seriously involved, I had already decided to leave quickly as if I were an outsider. It's hard to read whether Big Sis will tell Shinomiya-senpai the truth or lie to her to cover up the facts.
I closed my eyes and looked down. I tried not to look at Shinomiya-senpai's face until I turned my body towards the elevator entrance.
♦
As I entered the classroom with the door open and looked at the blackboard, the hands on the clock were in the same position as the time I usually arrived at the classroom. Though I did leave home later than usual, and by using a pick-up car, so it must be a coincidence that the clock was on time.
"...?"
Was it just my imagination, or did the atmosphere in the classroom feel a little more crowded than usual, even though there were a number of students present? Don't tell me... ...it's all because of my injury? No, no, no, that's too much. You see, I'm not that important.
"Hey... ...Hey, Yamazaki."
"Oh, Sajou! I heard you were injured. But you're still go to school like any other students."
"Yeah, it's fine, isn't it?"
I chatted with Yamazaki, who was leaning against the locker behind me and was chatting with some other students. This boy apparently could also read the atmosphere and talked in a rather low voice. It's what you'd expect from a boy who just entered high school like me, a boy who can read the atmosphere. I haven't forgotten the days when he behaved like that by looking at their faces. Treating all girls the same way.
"Eh, why are you quiet in the classroom?"
"Oh—, eh...? Do you want me to talk to that girl on the seat?"
"Um...?"
It's true that... ...come to think of it, I think there are more than a few girls sitting quietly right now. No, if you look closely, there are some girls who look uncomfortable. Figures that look rather uncomfortable when I look closely at them. For example, Shirai-san and Okamocchan... ...Oh.
"Did you notice that?"
"That Sa-Sasaki is...?"
"He went to school with Saitou-san and the two of them went somewhere."
"Wh-Whoa..."
"The effect of The Handsome Boy of the Class being taken away is huge..."
"Sasaki is a j*rk..."
Hearing the words of Iwata and Yamazaki, who were swearing with envy, an unintentional voice came out. That's right..., the girls who like Sasaki are not only Yuki-chan, the little sis, and Saitou-san, the girlfriend...
As I looked around the classroom, contemplating how I didn't consider that boy's influence, Ichinose-san, who was sitting nearby, looked back and her eyes met mine. I could tell from the movement of her mouth, that she said 'Oh'. She stood up a little confused and approached me with a worried look on her face.
"─U-Um..."
"Ichinose-san. Good morning."
"G-Good morning..."
"I'm sorry, did I still make you worry?"
"Does it hurt...!?"
I flicked my bandaged left hand. Ichinose-san's face turned pale with a surprised look, and she stopped me while waving her hand. Apparently, the intensity of the stimulation combined with the fact that she seemed to be treating my injured hand as if she was handling it roughly.
"D-Don't...!"
"You said that you wanted to apologize."
Ichinose-san gripped my sleeve tightly. The strength of her grip showed her seriousness. Her large, round and sad eyes, exposed, and wobbling, were quite pitiful. That's the influence... ...influence, huh...?
"Ugh, it looks painful when I look at it like this."
"It's like an eighth grade syndrome."
"Hey, stop it. I care about you."
"...Aren't you worried, Sajou-kun?"
Actually, I disliked this kind of teasing more than the pain in my hand. It's fine to open up and make painful boy moves, but when there are girls like Ichinose-san who are really worried about me, it's really hard to react to her. As you can see, Ichinose-san also sneered at the attitude of Yamazaki and Iwata, who seemed to think it was someone else's problem.
"Eh? That's because..."
"You're not going to die, are you?"
"Eh?"
Yeah, this is what makes me a boy.
TL Note: The potential rival is still going.
