The Fourth Class Is Modern Chinese (Continued)

"It's just that... the people around Orioto-senpai are... kind of... Komachi doesn't have a very good impression of them... So, although Orioto-senpai herself isn't included, when everything balances out, I kind of dislike her..."

Komachi lowered her head, as though she found it difficult to say. Since she was looking down, I couldn't see her expression. Was that why she had kept her distance from Orioto?

Though her words were halting and unfocused, I immediately understood.

I'd confessed to Orioto and gotten rejected. Plenty of people probably found that funny and told others about it.

If so, it wouldn't be strange for Komachi, who attended the same middle school, to have heard about it.

It couldn't have felt good to hear people laughingly talk about how her brother had been pathetically dumped.

She had probably felt deeply embarrassed. It must have left her with bad memories.

Though she spoke hesitantly, I could tell from Komachi's attitude.

Having lots of friends meant being surrounded by lots of people with different values. Among them, there were surely people who enjoyed themselves by making others into laughingstocks. That classmate from some town at Seaside Comprehensive High School, where Orioto attended, was the perfect example.

It wasn't only the person involved who got mocked like this. Those close to them got dragged in too.

"Sorry..."

The words slipped out of my mouth.

I should have realized sooner. I should have said it to her sooner, but I'd let so much time pass. Saying it now might not mean anything.

So this wasn't an apology or a confession. It was closer to a vow.

"Don't worry. That'll never happen again. I won't make you end up with bad memories too. High school definitely won't be like middle school."

I placed my hand on Komachi's head