Chapter 11: Asagiri Aya
Less than five seconds later, only the creaking of wind against chain-link fence remained on the rooftop.
Hiratsuka Shizuka took a deep drag on her cigarette before grinding the butt under her shoe tip.
"Honestly, these punk kids—every single one's a headache. Why's being a proper teacher so damn difficult these days?"
She turned, observing Kazama still leaning silently against the railing, rubbing her temples with a headache.
This student perpetually troubled her.
Though his grades passed muster, these abysmal interpersonal relationships always prevented this passionate teacher from relaxing.
"Hey, Kazama. You okay? Next time this happens, yell loudly or just run. Don't follow them like an idiot. You got a death wish?"
Hiratsuka's voice carried that urgent frustration of disappointment in potential.
She genuinely couldn't comprehend it. Kazama normally seemed fairly sharp—why such obtuseness regarding this matter?
"If I hadn't arrived, you understand the consequences? Getting beaten would be mild! What if something worse happened? How would I face anyone—or your parents?"
She extended her hand, apparently wanting to pat Kazama's shoulder, but worried about traumatizing this potentially terrified student. Her hand paused mid-air before she irritably scratched her own hair instead.
"Next time this happens, come straight to the office. Even if I'm not there, find any teacher. School exists for learning, not as a gladiatorial arena for those scumbags. As long as I'm here, I absolutely won't permit this. Understood?"
Kazama nodded.
"I understand."
Hiratsuka sighed helplessly.
"As for those bastards, I'll discuss things with their homeroom teachers. They're getting disciplinary action minimum."
Though she knew perfectly well such conventional methods held minimal deterrent power against degenerates already rotted through.
"I appreciate it, sensei."
Kazama bowed slightly with perfect courtesy.
"Hope it helps somewhat. Though I suspect disciplinary action is something they'd display like a badge of honor."
"Alright, get back to class."
Hiratsuka turned, extracting her cigarette pack again.
Kazama said nothing more, heading toward the stairwell.
Regarding Hiratsuka's promised righteous measures, he held not even a punctuation mark's worth of expectation.
Hoping such gentle methods would reform those beasts resembled attempting to pacify a horny Godzilla through love.
Just somewhat unfortunate—
Those few minutes, if this woman hadn't suddenly barged in, the rooftop would already be peaceful now.
Whatever. Didn't matter.
As long as that group remained alive, opportunities abounded.
While thinking, he descended the stairs.
Rounding the second-floor corner, a figure crouched beside the railing came into view.
That girl who'd fled earlier.
Seeing Kazama descend completely unharmed, those eyes—previously locked in terror—brightened slightly.
She exhaled in relief, hands gripping her skirt tightly as if mustering complete courage not to flee.
"Um... Kazama-san..."
She shuffled forward one small step, voice barely audible.
"Are you... okay? Any injuries?"
The girl seemed somewhat flustered, gaze scanning Kazama's body. After confirming no blood or bruises, her perpetually tense shoulders relaxed marginally.
"I'm Asagiri... Asagiri Aya. Earlier... I saw you being taken away on the stairs, so I..."
"Oh, right."
Hiratsuka's voice echoed from above, still ascending.
"Kazama, you better properly thank her. If Asagiri-san hadn't desperately run to the office for me, you'd probably be lying on that rooftop right now."
Hiratsuka descended the stairs. Though still angry, this didn't prevent attempting to repair these two problem students' interpersonal relationships.
She pressed down on Kazama's head, forcibly pushing it downward.
"These days, good kids willing to risk retaliation helping others are rare. If you don't appreciate it, I'm throwing you out a window."
Asagiri flushed from the praise, pale cheeks displaying unnatural redness.
She waved her hands hastily, lowering her head to avoid Kazama's eyes.
"It's... it's nothing... I just... just..."
Kazama observed that girl desperate to shrink into corners.
He wasn't ungrateful.
Objectively speaking, this weakling who couldn't even protect herself had chosen—upon witnessing another "victim"—to extend help despite risking doubled retaliation.
Foolish but not unlikeable kindness.
Compared to cold bystanders or those kicking people when down, she qualified as one of this garbage heap's rare normal humans.
"Thank you."
Asagiri froze momentarily before cheeks flushing slightly red.
She apparently hadn't anticipated this cold-seeming boy thanking her so formally, frantically waving hands—
However, before her "you're welcome" emerged, Kazama's next statement escaped.
"But don't do this again next time."
Asagiri's expression froze.
Seemingly unable to comprehend why these words came from someone whose life she'd just saved.
"?"
Hiratsuka also froze, hand suspended mid-air forgotten.
"What are you saying, you punk?! She kindly rescued you—"
Kazama simply considered things.
One matter at a time.
Though this girl demonstrated tremendous kindness—
If she hadn't interfered, those three rooftop trash would currently be three corpses.
And Kazama would've used The Mirror card mid-process to manufacture an alibi, packaging himself through acting as the sole survivor and victim.
Though subsequent investigation troubles would follow, those were solvable.
But now those three thugs merely got scolded without even receiving disciplinary action.
Their internal hatred would only ferment and expand from this "tattling to teachers" behavior.
Next time, they'd be more concealed, more cruel, more ruthless.
Worse still, Asagiri—the informant—would also join those mad dogs' retaliation list.
She thought she'd saved someone.
Actually, she'd merely dragged herself underwater while saving several scumbags who should've died.
This powerless kindness wasn't just cheap—it was stupid.
"I'm stating facts."
"If I were you in this situation, I'd pretend seeing nothing while fleeing as far as possible. Not charging into the teachers' office like an idiot, yelling loudly to attract attention."
"Because next time, when they can't find me, their fury will redirect toward that 'snitch.' Then who'll run for teachers to help you?"
Asagiri's body trembled once.
Right... if that group discovered she'd informed...
"So protect yourself."
"Whether for your sake or mine, this valueless self-satisfaction theater is best abandoned."
"I'm... sorry..."
Asagiri lowered her head, releasing an ant-quiet apology to nobody in particular.
Hiratsuka observed this scene, only managing a long sigh while patting the girl's shoulder.
"Ignore that bastard. His brain's defective. You did right, Asagiri. Absolutely right."
At the corridor's opposite end—
Kazama pushed open the classroom door.
"Hey, listen."
Inside his collar, Kerberos finally couldn't restrain itself, shoving its head outward forcefully, voice carrying incomprehension.
"Though that human girl's definitely weak, weren't your words excessively hurtful? I saw her about to cry."
Kazama returned to his seat.
"Hurtful? I simply don't want her falling into trouble because of me."
"If those three people injured or killed her over snitching, what should I do? Apologize to her family?"
"Or should I take revenge on those three, then what? Can that restore everything?"
Kerberos opened its mouth before finally producing only:
"Really can't understand you..."
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