Chapter 98: Chishima Akishin Still Practices the Blade
"...I know."
Hayama nodded, but his expression only grew darker.
Before stepping out, he could still lie to himself. But now that he knew for sure who had done it, he couldn't maintain his composure.
The culprit was Yamato. The one who seemed the most honest was the one behind it all! And the news hadn't even come from Akishin; Yamato had confessed of his own accord.
When Tobe had returned and Ooka had gone in next, Tobe had slipped off to the restroom. Yamato, seeing he was alone with Hayama, was consumed by the suspicion that Akishin already knew. His heart was racing with fear and tension, and the whole story just spilled out.
He had hoped Hayama would help him. He was terrified of Akishin, but he was even more terrified of the consequences if this went public. He hoped their friendship would 'soften' Hayama, claiming he did it all just so they could stay in the same group...
At that moment, Hayama had glared at Yamato, his fist clenching and unclenching. He had come within an inch of hitting him.
But in the end, the punch never landed, even though Yamato had recoiled in fear. After Yamato finally returned with a pale face, Hayama told the three of them he wouldn't be in their group anymore and sent them home.
Tobe and Ooka felt something was off, but seeing Yamato's clearly abnormal state, neither of them said a word.
Afterward, Hayama returned to the Service Club alone. Standing before Akishin, he felt as though nothing could be hidden; those eyes saw through everything.
Ever since Akishin had mentioned No Longer Human, Hayama had felt an inexplicable dread.
——It's the same feeling I had during that match with Hachiman.
"Then this matter is settled." Akishin stood up and said to Hayama, "We won't punish Yamato. We'll just give him a reprimand and have him write a five-thousand-word reflection. Hayama, you're in charge of overseeing that."
"...Understood."
Hayama hesitated for a moment before agreeing. He looked toward Shizuka, whose expression was sour. As a teacher, finding out a student had done something like this was bound to be infuriating. Hayama bit his lip, bowed, and said, "I'm very sorry, Hiratsuka-sensei."
Shizuka watched Hayama—the star student of the class. Good grades, excels at everything, a literal model student and a teacher's pride... and yet...
She massaged the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on. This one was a problem child too. His issues seemed even more deep-seated than Hachiman's; this one was just far too "bright" on the surface.
In a sense, being a "good person" in the eyes of some makes you a "bad person" to others. Take the sheep and the wolf: if you help the wolf, the sheep gets eaten. If you help the sheep, the wolf starves...
The best method is to remove the one doing the "helping." The relationship between wolf and sheep is a result of thousands of years of natural evolution; it is the natural order.
After three seconds of silence, Shizuka couldn't bring herself to scold him. After all, Hayama hadn't actually done anything wrong himself. Finally, she waved a hand. "It's not your fault, Hayama. In the future, besides caring for and helping your friends, pay attention to what they're actually thinking. You're a smart kid; don't let your eyes be blinded by praise."
"...I understand. Thank you for the guidance, Sensei."
Hayama straightened up with a complicated look, then turned to the Hikigaya trio.
Hachiman, Yukino, and Yui looked at each other, then stepped forward. "We won't leak it either," Hachiman promised.
Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuigahama Yui both nodded seriously in unison.
"This time... thank you."
"Don't sweat it. We were just finishing a request..."
Hayama breathed a sigh of relief, instinctively flashing a warm smile before saying his goodbyes. He stole one last glance at Akishin before leaving the Service Club.
Yukinoshita Yukino watched the door close, lost in thought, remembering the Oba Yozo from No Longer Human that Akishin had mentioned.
Hachiman had a similar look on his face. He had read the book, of course, and knew the story of Oba Yozo. He couldn't help but link it to Hayama Hayato's personality... When he'd finished No Longer Human, he'd laughed at himself too:
——"The 'me' who once hoped, the 'me' who thought I understood, the 'me' who thought I was understood by others—it's all unforgivable. My own existence must be even smaller, lowlier, and more vulgar than anything written in No Longer Human. My trivial problems wouldn't even earn a glance from Dazai Osamu. If that's the case, my existence is even lower than 'No Longer Human.' I am lonelier and more suspicious than a wicked, cruel king. I even feel disgusted by my own selfish use of literary authority just to find an answer to such personal problems. How shallow, how foolish, and how ugly this is. I didn't pick up this book to foster talent, much less to improve my character..."
Why had he thought that back then?
He couldn't quite remember.
...
Hayama's problem was over, but Hachiman's was just beginning.
Hachiman stood in front of the chalkboard, scanning the group lists to see if anyone was left alone. Ideally, he wanted a duo that didn't get along, so he could slip in as the third wheel without being noticed.
Unfortunately, such people were rare. The classes had been shuffled in second year, so basically everyone had a friend or two.
"Hikigaya, I haven't found a group yet. Want to join up?"
Hayama walked over to Hachiman's side, offering a smile and an outstretched hand.
"...Sure, why not."
After a two-second hesitation, Hachiman gave Hayama's palm a light slap.
Great. One member down. Just find one more person and the group dilemma would be solved.
"Ugh~"
Just then, Saika stepped forward with puffed-out cheeks, his eyes looking a bit watery in protest.
"Totsuka? What's up?"
"Hachiman... what about me?"
Hachiman asked, puzzled, "Uh... didn't you already decide on a group?"
"So that's how it is!" Totsuka Saika reached out and gripped the hem of Hachiman's jacket sleeve. "From the very start... I was planning on being in a group with Hachiman."
...
With the groups settled, the periodic exams were now looming.
In the past few days, the students in every class had clearly become more serious. When Akishin went to the library, he found most of the seats occupied.
He dialed back the training for Mizukawa Masaru and the other four, telling them to focus on studying for the exams. Their practice was cut down to once a week.
The reality was that Mizukawa Masaru's homeroom teacher had specifically sought out Akishin, hoping he'd give the boy some breathing room for a few days and resume the lessons after the exams.
As for Hachiman...
He was the same as ever.
Since he only practiced during PE, it didn't interfere with his classes. The three members of the Service Club no longer spent their afternoons reading their own novels; instead, they pushed the long tables together to have a group study session.
Hachiman stayed true to his promise to Akishin. At night, he often reviewed his notes until two in the morning, which left him looking like a zombie during the day.
Because of this, Shizuka-chan had questioned whether Akishin was overworking Hachiman.
Akishin had to treat Shizuka-chan to another massive meal at a restaurant to quell her anger. He strongly suspected she was just using it as an excuse for a free meal, but he had no proof.
...
The night of May 6th!
The room was dim. The curtains were drawn, letting only the faint glow of streetlights seep in, accompanied by the muffled sounds of the crowd outside.
It was already midnight, but Konishi Street was as lively as ever.
The air conditioner was humming, keeping the room quite cool. Chishima Akishin, dressed in bear-patterned pajamas, sat on the edge of his bed, swiping through a blue holographic screen only he could see:
Chishima Akishin:
Strength: 22
Agility: 19
Charisma: 16
Constitution: 22
Skills: Kendo [Expert]—Grandmaster (Pending), Cooking (Master), Go—Master (Pending), Hand-to-Hand Combat (Expert), Firearms (Expert), Sword Meditation...
Skill Points: 0
...
Somewhere along the line, his Agility had gone up by one point.
Akishin spoke aloud: "Patch, when will the Kendo (Master) rank-up begin?"
Patch: [Qualification not yet met.]
The same answer, no matter how many times he asked.
Akishin closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his aura had shifted. In the dim room, it looked as if a faint, crimson flash of light had flickered through the air. Small insects and a stray cockroach in the corner scurried away, desperate to flee the room.
He spoke in a low voice: "Enter!"
Akishin vanished from the spot.
He arrived in that familiar, infinite white space. In his hand was the familiar, deep-red sheathed longsword.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke once more: "Enter."
He vanished from the white space. But he didn't appear in the familiar bamboo forest. Instead, he found himself standing atop a high, desolate mountain peak...
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
50 Power Stone = 1 Bonus Chapter (Up to 5 bonus chapters per week).
Read ahead and support the story on Patreon: patreon.com/FaaanzKun
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —