[Warning 15+]
BackstageContract Cancellation
"I finally found you, Kōhei..."
On the pitch-black rooftop, I greeted Kōhei, who was lost in thought as he gazed into the distance at the sky.
"...Look. I know the situation is tough because of the unexpected events, but at least reply to my message."
After taking a brief breath, I said that in an exasperated tone.
─After hearing the results of the Student Council President Election, I immediately sent Kōhei a message.
Since I didn't get any reply at all, I went straight to Class 1-D, thinking Kōhei might be slacking off again.
It turned out Tokiwa-kun had sent a message saying, "My smartphone battery died. I'll call him later," so I thought, "Well, that's okay then," and left it at that for a while. But since Kōhei was still slow to respond, I ended up coming to look for him like this.
By the way, it feels like all I've been doing lately is looking for the "Main Culprit"…. ...If I were running from the police, that’d be a different story, but running from an "Accomplice"—what's the point of that, though?
I sighed before continuing.
"Besides, you probably can't take action right away, so I've already looked into a few things. I heard from the teachers' lounge that this Student Council President Election was too irregular, so it's going to be held again. Apparently, there's a provision in the school regulations regarding the voter turnout percentage that was overlooked, and so on."
"…"
"I've also talked to Shiozaki-senpai. He did seem confused, but I don't think he was all that surprised. Right now, he is working on a strategy for the re-Election of the Student Council President."
"…"
"Oh, right, here's another thing. It seems Ōtsuki-san is having some trouble with the Music Festival, and Hinoharu-senpai is going to help Ōtsuki-san. I think we've already received a message from RINE saying something like, 'I'm not going to let something as trivial as this get me down!'—have you seen it?"
"…"
"Hey, Kōhei…"
Seeing that Kōhei wasn't reacting at all, I grew even more confused.
Could it be… …that Kōhei is feeling down again?
Maybe Kōhei has lost his confidence because he tried his hardest but failed again.
If that's the case—.
I took another step forward.
Then, this hand.
Once again, I reached out toward Kōhei's back—.
"—Huh, don't come near me!"
—Just as my fingertips touched Kōhei.
Kōhei stopped so suddenly that I stopped too.
"Huh…?"
Startled, Kōhei unconsciously pulled my hand back.
"Oh, no… …sorry…"
My body was trembling from the shock.
Finally, Kōhei turned his head—that face.
Kōhei's expression was so weak, so different from his usual self, that for a moment I thought it was someone else.
"Kō-… …-hei…?"
"…!"
Kōhei's eyes, as they looked at me, seemed a little frightened.
Kōhei immediately turned his face away quickly, then ran toward the exit.
"Hey, wait a minute, Kōhei! What's really—"
"Oh, don't chase after me! Just leave me alone for a moment!"
"Huh…?"
Without realizing it, I asked Kōhei again.
"No, I'll leave you alone. So what about that 'Plan', then─?"
"…!"
In response to my question,
Kouhei, without looking back,
"─It's canceled!"
─Leaving behind words that should never have come out of Kōhei's mouth.
Kōhei ran away from that place.
"…Huh?"
I—.
Couldn't catch up to Kōhei's back.
I was left alone on the roof, all by myself.
"It's… …cancelled…?"
I muttered softly.
That murmur that escaped my lips—
It was as if it had been sucked into the darkness of the night, vanishing into thin air.
─Then.
Really.
I haven't heard a single word from Kōhei.
My first Summer Vacation in high school had begun.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
RP: Angga Kun
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