Chapter 96: "No Longer Human"
"Tell me your theory."
Chishima Akishin handed the phone back to Hikigaya.
Hikigaya pocketed the device and said, "The attack emails are sent very discreetly; they shouldn't be traceable. However, we've narrowed the culprit down to one of those three. The trigger was likely the Job Shadowing project. Since it's done in groups of three, the group formation will dictate interpersonal relationships for the foreseeable future. It's only natural for someone to get sensitive about it. Those three plus Hayama make four, so someone has to be cut. To avoid being the one left out, someone decided to eliminate the competition first. Of course, this is all just speculation, but it's likely on the mark."
"A very precise speculation." Akishin nodded, then asked, "So, have you thought about how to resolve it?"
"If I knew that, I wouldn't be asking you, Sensei." Hachiman felt a wave of helplessness. "I originally planned to observe the three of them in class, but..." He hesitated, stopping mid-sentence. "But as soon as I look in their direction, all three of them start acting unnaturally..."
He had intended to observe them stealthily, but he hadn't realized that others were now constantly watching his every move. He was used to being a "loner" who could blend into the background; now that he was "famous," he hadn't yet adjusted to the lack of privacy. His plan to observe their behavior had effectively been sabotaged.
Akishin noticed Hachiman's frustrated expression and let out a small chuckle. "This problem is actually very easy to solve. It just depends on how far you're willing to go to fix it."
Hachiman was taken aback. "Does that mean you already have the answer, Sensei?"
"I don't have a definitive answer for the 'who,' but I have enough to fulfill your request."
Akishin lifted his shinai and performed a horizontal sweep; the wooden sword appeared in front of Hachiman's eyes in an instant. Hachiman reflexively raised both hands to parry.
Satisfied with Hachiman's crisis response, Akishin pulled back his shinai. "Hikigaya, do you usually pay attention to the dynamics between those four?"
"No."
Hachiman lowered his hands naturally—he was getting used to this, as Akishin frequently performed these "pop quizzes" to keep his reflexes sharp. He shook his head. Previously, he had no interest in observing; now, he simply couldn't.
"Then you should know that they are an exclusive social circle." Akishin used his shinai to trace a small circle on the floor, then placed the tip of the sword at its center. "An exclusive circle like that always has a single core. The center of Hayama's little circle is, obviously, Hayama himself. Without Hayama, that circle ceases to exist..."
This wasn't the result of any deep investigation; Akishin had simply observed them during class a few times and combined it with general social logic.
Hachiman was sharp; with just that small hint, he understood immediately.
"In other words, the circle exists for Hayama's sake. Their real target isn't the three-man group; it's Hayama. If they can just push one person out, they can logically form a team with him."
"Exactly. Interpersonal relationships are remarkably simple." Akishin lifted his sword and tapped it lightly against the floor. "If all you want is to diffuse the situation, just have Hayama tell the three of them that he won't be joining any of them. Once that happens, the attack emails will stop automatically."
"Is that really it? It doesn't seem that hard. I'll pass that along to them later."
"Wait a moment. You have no intention of catching the actual culprit?"
"..."
Hachiman fell silent for a few seconds before answering flatly, "Hayama's request was to diffuse the situation. Besides, this is a request Yukinoshita accepted. Whether to pursue it further or not depends on her decision."
"What are you hesitating for? If it's the right thing to do, then just do it..."
Akishin tapped Hachiman's head with the sword, his expression turning serious. "However, regardless of whether you lot want to continue or not, I'm taking over this matter now."
"Sensei, you're getting involved in this request too?!"
"No, Hayama's request has nothing to do with me. However, malicious emails attacking students within a classroom—that has everything to do with me."
Akishin checked the clock on the wall; the period was almost over. He stood up and called out a "Break" to Mizukawa Masaru in the distance, then turned back to Hachiman. "I am a teacher at this school. Being responsible for the students is my job. If I didn't know about it, that would be one thing. But from the moment you told me, it became my business."
He then added, "Does Hiratsuka-sensei know?"
"I'm not sure."
Hachiman shook his head. He felt as though he had just thrown Hayama Hayato under the bus, but strangely, he felt a small sense of satisfaction deep down.
Akishin pulled out his phone and called Shizuka Hiratsuka—who didn't have a class at the moment—and learned that while she knew Hayama was troubled, she didn't know the details.
Shizuka's explanation was a bit vague and disjointed, but Akishin caught the gist—Hayama had initially wanted to consult her, but he had been hesitant and seemed unable to find the words. Trusting Hayama's character, she had recommended the Service Club without a second thought.
She wanted to add another achievement to the Service Club's record.
Akishin briefly explained the situation regarding the attack emails, pocketed his phone, and turned to command Hikigaya: "After lunch, bring Hayama to the Service Club. I'll speak to him myself... and call Yukinoshita and the others too. After all, this was the request you all received."
The latter half of the lunch break.
Hayama Hayato slid the classroom door open and stepped into the Service Club. The first thing he saw was Chishima Akishin and Hiratsuka Shizuka sitting in the center of the room, followed by the three Service Club members by the window.
Hayama's usually smiling face turned grim. He shot a sharp, fleeting glare at Hikigaya before bowing to Akishin and Shizuka.
"Chishima-sensei."
"Hiratsuka-sensei."
The two teachers nodded. Akishin looked at Yukinoshita Yukino and said, "Finish your part of the request first."
Yukinoshita was already aware of the full story. She took a step forward and delivered the solution to Hayama Hayato. "...In short, Hayama-kun, if you simply don't form a group with any of those three, the situation will resolve itself naturally, and your request will be fulfilled."
"Ah, I see. Thank you. I'll head back and talk to them right away..."
Hayama turned to leave, but Akishin called out to him: "Hayama. Hiratsuka-sensei and I are fully aware of the situation now. We are teachers, and we must identify the person who sent those messages."
Hayama Hayato took a deep breath, looked at Akishin with a look of dead seriousness, and asked, "Chishima-sensei, could you both please not investigate this? I promise something like this won't happen again."
Akishin shook his head, his sharp gaze boring into Hayama. "Hayama, your promise has zero credibility. And this matter, once it was sent to the phones of so many people, ceased to be just your private request."
Akishin pulled out his own phone, displayed the attack email on the screen, and held it up for Hayama to see. "We all know these messages are likely false. But do the others know? Do the other classes know? The first-years? The third-years? They don't. And humans are creatures that love a bandwagon. Once one person says it's true, others will believe it. Don't you understand the logic of 'three people making a tiger real'? Once these messages are exploited by someone looking for trouble, they will spiral out of control. And if that happens, do you have any idea what those three will go through? Do you understand the consequences of public opinion? Even if the truth comes out as fast as possible, the stigma will have already spread, and they will still be hurt. And we don't even know how long that 'fastest possible time' will be. Maybe a day, maybe a week... Forget the culprit for a second; what about your other two innocent friends?"
Hayama Hayato's fists tightened. He glared at Akishin with a look of simmering anger. "This hasn't spread outside the class yet. All I need to do is go back—"
"The fact that it's currently contained within the class is exactly why I didn't go and catch the person immediately, but chose to speak with you first!"
Akishin cut Hayama off with a booming voice. His gaze was cold and piercing as he locked eyes with the boy. "I told you, Hayama, your promise is worthless. If the Service Club doesn't resolve this for you, do you really think these emails won't eventually leak? And even if it ends this time, what about next time? What happens the next time there's a group shuffle? Are you going to go looking for the Service Club again?"
"..."
Hayama went silent, his head bowed as his fists trembled. Hiratsuka Shizuka, Hikigaya, and Yukinoshita watched the scene in silence. Only Yuigahama wore an expression of pity.
Akishin exhaled, and then suddenly threw out an unexpected question. "Hayama, have you read Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human? Do you know the character Oba Yozo?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka and the others were confused by the sudden literary turn. Hayama Hayato, however, snapped his head up, staring at Akishin with a look of pure shock mixed with a feral, desperate intensity.
It was a gaze that looked as though it were on the verge of shattering.
"It seems you have. In that case, there's nothing left to discuss!"
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