Kushida: "I'm Going to Get Expelled by Nakano Yu? Impossible! Absolutely Impossible!" (Part 2)

I see.

That really was something new for Nakano-kun.

He didn't have many friends, so he hardly ever chatted with other people. And when he did, it was usually through direct messages, so he'd never paid much attention to things like that.

Still, he knew that when people weren't on close terms, they sometimes wondered whether the other person had seen their message and ignored it, or simply hadn't seen it at all.

To make it easier for users to communicate, chat apps had naturally introduced the [Unread] and [Read] functions.

But...

Nakano Yuu: It's a little too late for this to not be misunderstood. Kushida-san, do you need something?

Nakano Yuu: I've only done it once myself, but I'm confident I can do a good job.

Kushida Kikyou: ...

Kushida Kikyou: Nakano-kun, you're so naughty. You suddenly started making that kind of joke. It's not nice to say things like that in front of a girl.

Nakano Yuu: That's why I chose to type it.

Kushida Kikyou: ...

It was easy to picture Kushida gripping her phone tightly.

But it was 10:22 p.m., and the dorms would stop admitting students at eleven. Kushida-san's GPS location was still at the library, so why was she sending him messages like that from there?

Kushida Kikyou: Nakano-kun, what do you think about dissociative identity disorder?

Nakano Yuu: Did you run into a problem like that, Kushida-san? Are you starting to have psychological issues?

Nakano Yuu: You have so many friends. Have their problems finally driven you crazy?

Kushida Kikyou: No, no. I was reading at the library and came across a character like that in a book, so I got curious.

Nakano Yuu: Then what book was it?

Kushida Kikyou: ...

Kushida Kikyou: Nakano-kun, are you trying to take up the same hobby as me? Is that why you're asking what I'm reading?

Nakano Yuu: Not really. I'm not interested in pursuing Kushida-san.

Kushida Kikyou: ...

Perhaps sensing that Kushida might blow up if he kept going, Nakano-kun reined himself in a little.

Nakano Yuu: Anyway, putting the book aside, I can tell you a bit about dissociative identity disorder. My family runs a hospital, so I've picked up some knowledge just by being around it.

Kushida Kikyou: Oh. I didn't expect that.

Nakano Yuu: So what's the issue, Kushida-san?

Kushida Kikyou: I told you, it's not me. It's the protagonist of this detective novel. He was possessed by a detective from the past while solving a case. Right after he was possessed, he wondered whether he'd really been possessed or if another personality had awakened in him, and for a while he suspected he had dissociative identity disorder.

Nakano Yuu: I see. You said it was a detective novel, but some anime have dealt with that too. For example, in D.N.Angel, another male character possessed the protagonist.

Kushida Kikyou: Is it possible that the other male character was actually a split personality of the protagonist?

Nakano Yuu: It's actually pretty easy to tell the difference between possession and a split personality. If it's possession, then the possessor is a completely different being from you, with a body of their own, so they can do things you can't.

Nakano Yuu: But even if a personality splits, it still has to use your body. It can't escape the limits of that body.

Nakano Yuu: And if it's possession, the possessor usually leaves at the end of the story, either because they've fulfilled their wish or for some other reason. They're separate beings, so they can't stay forever.

Kushida Kikyou: That makes sense. All right, it's late, and I need to head back from the library. Is there any book you'd like to read, Nakano-kun? I could bring it back for you on my way.

Nakano Yuu: It's too late. I'm already in bed, and I don't want to go to the entrance to let you in.

Kushida Kikyou: ...

Kushida Kikyou: Then good night.

Nakano Yuu: Good night.

"..." Kushida.

Perhaps the information she'd gotten from Nakano Yuu had put her mind at ease.

But...

On her way back to the dorms from the library, she still couldn't calm down.

"So you really are from two years in the future?"

[That's definitely true. But at this point in time, I should still be in the White Room. I'll enroll next April.]

"Then..." Kushida thought of something. If this Amasawa underclassman's story was true, then that explained why she'd appeared here.

Could this really be a chance to save herself?

Was she trying to change the utterly miserable future that awaited her?

Was she hoping Kushida would help her change it?

"Then what will it take for you to leave my body?" Kushida asked quickly.

[Hard to say. I appeared here because I had such a strong will to survive. Maybe this kind of thing is just a one-off.]

[But it's probably just like Nakano-senpai said. Either something goes wrong with my body two years from now, and my mind and soul disappear with it, or the version of me in this world changes, and I'm saved because the future changes.]

"Then should I get in touch with you at this point in time?" Kushida asked with a frown.

[No. The version of me at this point in time is still in the White Room, and you can't interfere there. If you alert them, they might even dissect me.]

"..." Kushida.

What kind of terrifying thing was that to say?

[But since it's me, even the version of me at this point in time should be smart enough. So, Kushida-senpai, you'll need to contact her after she enrolls as usual.] Amasawa Ichika said.

In other words, she'd have to put up with this girl in her body for at least a year?

Kushida felt despair and exhaustion at the thought of school. She couldn't accept it.

[Hehe, you seem pretty impatient, Kushida-senpai.]

[Are you worried I'll find out something you'd rather keep hidden?]

[By the time I appeared here with you, I'd already read your memories.] Amasawa's voice continued. [I know that even though you give other girls advice about romance, you have no experience yourself.]

"..." Kushida.

Damn it. Having someone inside your body really was awful.

Kushida was in such a foul mood that she said nothing.

But Amasawa Ichika went on.

[Still, having me stay with you wouldn't be a bad thing for you, Kushida-senpai.]

"What use are you, anyway?"

[Your grades are good, but I can get full marks in every subject. That would be a pretty good arrangement for you, wouldn't it?]

[Kushida-senpai, you know Horikita-senpai is smart too. She can get 93 or 94, but you only get 85 or 86. Even in math, your best subject, you only get 85. Don't you want to surpass her?]

"..." Kushida's expression was blank.

"..." Kushida's resolve was firm.

"..." Kushida was starting to waver.

The reason she had a dark past from middle school was that she'd always aimed too high, only to find that others surpassed her. The one thing that made her stand out was her ability to connect with people, quickly become their friend, and earn their trust.

So she'd kept working on that.

Then she'd crashed and burned in middle school.

And now, barely a month into high school, she'd already built up a lot of pressure.

She knew it wasn't good for her, but that skill was the only thing that gave her a sense of superiority and validation. She had nothing else.

And now...

It was like she'd been handed a weapon.

Amasawa was inside her body, so when she did a problem, it was as if Amasawa did it too. That meant she might actually get perfect scores on exams and earn the kind of admiring looks people gave a genius.

And just now, at the library, she'd found a math problem she'd never studied before. Amasawa had solved it correctly without any trouble.

"..." Kushida.

Kushida felt that this bad underclassman really was trying to tempt her.

If she could surpass Horikita academically, that would be incredible.

But she was Kushida. There was no way she'd give in that easily.

But just then, the bad underclassman continued.

[Besides, Kushida-senpai, you collect friends, and you help them all equally.]

[You also love getting others' approval and learning their secrets. And, Kushida-senpai, you've already learned my secret.]

[And now you won't even help me? That's so hypocritical, Kushida-senpai. You're a hypocrite.]

"..." Kushida.

Damn it. Why did this bad underclassman always make her feel like she was rubbing salt in her wounds?

If she had to describe it, she was like a wicked little demon.

She gave Kushida the same feeling she got when dealing with Nakano Yuu.

That was right.

Kushida felt that Nakano Yuu wasn't like an ordinary student. Every time they talked, he seemed to zero in on one of her wounds or weaknesses. It nearly made her explode.

And despite having made so many friends, her experience with people told her that Nakano-kun was very purposeful.

Especially whenever he contacted her, it always felt like he had some sort of agenda.

Then once he'd gotten what he wanted from her, he ignored her. He was a real devil.

Just like a moment ago. He wouldn't even let her bring a book back and have him open the door to collect it.

And she really hated that feeling.

"Even if I wanted to help you, I wouldn't be able to do much."

Kushida carefully chose her words.

She and this underclassman didn't seem to have any deep grudge that made reconciliation impossible, and the girl's academic ability was certainly tempting.

So she tried to figure out how to keep the underclassman in check.

[That's easy. Just wait until I enroll at this time next year, then pass information along to me.]

[Whether it works or not, I won't blame you.]

Oh.

So that was it.

But Kushida didn't believe her at all.

Kushida might not be very smart, but she knew that this underclassman claimed she'd become a vegetable two years in the future, then traveled back in time because of her intense will to survive.

It sounded like she wanted to change her miserable future.

But that kind of determination was already enough to make her wary. There was no way she'd be of no use at all. Something was bound to go wrong on her end, and she might even lose control of her body.

So she only believed about eighty percent of what Amasawa said.

Still, there was something she wanted to know.

"If you really did come back from two years in the future, does that mean you know anything about this school's..." Kushida began asking for confirmation.

[You mean what makes this school special? Things like class battles, the changing class rankings, and the rewards the school offers to students who graduate from Class A.]

[Back at the White Room, this would be considered a childlike way to raise people. But it also means life at Ikusei High School is pretty relaxed.]

"Relaxed?" Kushida disagreed completely.

After all, the school's unusual system meant that students had to fight hard every month during the Special Exam for their living expenses and the chance to move up a class.

And for this midterm exam, Chabashira-sensei had said that students who failed would be expelled.