Far from Understanding Myself

Aside from Class D's testimony, all the evidence and public opinion favored Class C.

The people in Class C couldn't possibly be that stupid. I firmly believed that.

However, what happened next proved me completely wrong—and conveniently helped cover up the truth.

The day after Teacher Hoshinomiya revealed the news, the students from Class D took action over the dispute... They surrounded our classroom until it was completely blocked off.

No, saying it was just them wasn't quite right. To be precise, they led the students from our class to tightly surround Class B's door.

I knew that Class D's goddess, Kushida Kikyo, was famous among the first-years, but how had things gotten like this in the time it took me to go to the bathroom during break? And they'd even picked a time when Ichinose wasn't here. That hardly made this a representative discussion.

"Ugh..."

"I want to go back..." As I sighed, Ayanokoji managed to push his way out of the crowd and squeeze over to where I was sitting by the window.

"You're involved too? Are you looking into the fight?"

"Yeah. So you've already seen the message. You could've at least given me a heads-up."

"Message...? What message?"

"Didn't you come out because you saw the text I sent you?"

"Sorry, my phone's still in the classroom. I just happened to come out to use the bathroom. When I came back, the class was surrounded."

"Another coincidence, huh."

"If you could, please stop using words associated with fate... So, were you looking for me to ask about the eyewitness?"

I stretched lazily, then leaned my relaxed body against the window frame and watched the track team practicing.

"Our victim said he saw an eyewitness at the scene, but it wasn't anyone from Class D."

"Isn't the person involved here? If he saw the eyewitness, it should be easy to identify them."

"Actually, he was furious at the time and behaved rather rudely toward the eyewitness, so we think it'd be better not to bring him here. Do you know anything, Raku? Or even just what the eyewitness looked like? I heard they had gray curly hair and gave off a lazy vibe..."

Ayanokoji suddenly stopped. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him studying my face.

On the field, I could see athletes striving for their dreams. Their tank tops were soaked with sweat, and you could actually see the effort they were putting in through the droplets flying into the air.

But what was the point of doing all that?

The championship? The prize money? The attention of the masses?

Those things were empty in themselves. What were they striving for?

"Raku, could you be the eyewitness?"

"You really think the worst of me..."

"Ayanokoji, who are you talking to?" Perhaps because he couldn't get a word in, Ayanokoji's companion squeezed out of the crowd just then.

"I think I've found the eyewitness, Ike."

"Found what?" The boy called Ike didn't understand what he meant at first.

"The eyewitness."

"The eyewitness...? Huh? Then that's great! Kushida, we found the eyewitness!"

Ike turned and called out so loudly that the entire hallway could hear him. Before long, Kushida's figure slowly emerged from the crowded throng.

"Did you find them?"

"Yep. It's this guy."

Hey, were all the students from Class D this rude?

"Sorry, he's just like that." Ayanokoji seemed to have guessed what I was thinking and apologized in advance.

I shrugged to show I didn't mind, then turned my gaze to Kushida. Ever since I'd run into her by the river and seen her cursing, I'd done my best to avoid talking to her, though we hadn't really been in touch to begin with.

"Isn't this Raku? Long time no see."

"Yeah, long time no see."

"You two knew each other already?"

"No, we met after coming to this school. I happened to run into Kushida during the first day of school." I calmly answered Ayanokoji's question. He seemed to have some issue with that sort of thing.

"But we haven't really been in touch since then. I'm sorry."

"That's not your fault, Kushida. Students in different classes don't get many chances to talk, especially since we have things to take care of within our own classes."

"I'm glad you understand, Raku... Also, is Raku the eyewitness Ayanokoji was talking about? Gray curly hair... The description certainly fits."

"If your victim is hot-tempered and has bright red hair, then I'm probably the eyewitness you're looking for."

"Would you mind sparing us a little of your time? There's something we'd like to ask you." Before I could respond, Kushida stepped forward and grabbed my arm, staring at me with her sparkling eyes. She was so close that I could feel the softness of her chest.

"...All right. Just let go of my arm first."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to."

Damn it, who could resist a pose that cute? If this went on, I wouldn't be able to take it—not to mention Ike's murderous glare.

I followed Ayanokoji to a more secluded spot. The scene before me looked like those depictions of school bullying that often showed up online: a mean girl and two delinquents cornering a student on a street corner and mercilessly tormenting them.

Whew. Now that I thought about it, that description wasn't far off. And I'd vaguely heard Okabe shouting, "Raku's been taken by students from another class!" as we left. That made the whole thing even more dramatic.

Maybe I had a talent for writing novels?

"Let's talk here." Kushida glanced around, and after confirming there was no one else nearby, she continued.

"Since you're the eyewitness, Raku, could you briefly describe what happened?"

"Sorry, I can't." I shook my head and refused Kushida's request.

"Huh? Why not?"

"Don't tell me Class C bought you off."

"Ike, please watch what you say. Sorry, he's just worried about his friend."

"It's all right. I don't mind... Class C didn't buy me off. I can't help you because I can't help you."

"Could you tell us the specific reason?"

"I was at the scene, but only at the very end. In other words, I got there after the fight was over. I don't know what happened in the lead-up to it. If I testify, the conclusion will only favor Class C. After all, all I saw was Sudo from Class D beating up three students from Class C."

"How could this be...? So you just happened to pass by?"

"I heard some faint noise downstairs at the Special Building. When I went upstairs, I ran into Sudo. I saw some blood on his fists, so I asked if he was all right. He just shoved me away roughly."

I'd even tried to help the students from Class C afterward, but they'd coldly brushed me off too. Honestly, was it really this hard to be a good person nowadays?

"Sudo was furious at the time. Please don't take his rude behavior to heart. If it made you angry, I apologize."

"I don't get angry over little things, and he didn't actually hurt me, so it's fine. If you don't mind, could you tell me exactly what happened? I might be able to find some relevant evidence from your account."

"Of course. It's not a secret or anything."

Kushida then explained the general outline of what had happened.

Sudo from Class D had been selected as a reserve player by the coach because of his excellent basketball skills. He was the only first-year to make the reserve team. Komiya and Kondo from Class C were jealous of him, and Sudo wanted to settle their previous dispute at the same time, so they arranged to meet at the Special Building.

But when Sudo got there, he found a fourth person: Ishizaki from Class C. He'd intended to settle the matter through a verbal discussion, but the other side attacked first. With no other choice, Sudo fought back. And that was how the tragedy happened.

"So the students from Class C were in the wrong, right?"

"That's right. But the school says we have to provide proof to clear Sudo's name. They didn't trust Sudo's word alone."

That made sense. It took a pretty tough guy to fight three people at once.

"Even so, both sides would be at fault, wouldn't they? What'll happen if you can't find proof?"

"If we can't, they'll consider it Sudo's fault and suspend him until the summer break. They'll also deduct points from the whole class."

"That's way too harsh."

"On top of that, Sudo will lose his chance to become a reserve player."

"...That's really unfortunate."

"So can you provide us with any useful information?"

"Sorry, it doesn't look like it." I spread my hands to show I was helpless.

"...Then finding the eyewitness won't help us after all."

Once she was sure I couldn't help, Kushida sighed. Her violet eyes looked pitifully forlorn.

"What the hell? So he's useless after all. In that case, I'm more inclined to believe Sudo beat them up for no reason."

A moment ago, Kushida had been worrying about Ike making excuses for his friend. Yet as soon as she turned around, Ike was expressing his distrust of Sudo.

"Ike, I'll get angry if you say that. Sudo isn't that kind of person."

"Ah, sorry, Kushida. I was wrong. I was just joking." Ike put his hands together and apologized to Kushida.

People were really hard to figure out.

"It's not over yet. I'm not the only eyewitness—"

"Raku, please explain that in detail!"

Please don't suddenly grab my hand. I'll explain properly.

"R-right. There was an eyewitness already there before I arrived. But after she ran into me, she hurried away. She was a girl with glasses and pink hair. If I'm not mistaken, she was probably a first-year like us."

"Was she the one I ran into with you in the office?"

"Ichinose wasn't wearing glasses."

"Could you be more specific, Raku? Did she have any distinctive features?"

"Is that still not enough to identify her?"

"Yeah, I might have an idea, but then again, there could be quite a few people like that."

"I see. Then let me think."

"Please!"

At Kushida's request, I recalled the girl I'd run into around the corner at the Special Building.

I'd gotten a pretty good look at her, but how should I describe her?

She had a huge chest!

No, if I said that, they'd definitely think I was a pervert.

A distinguishing feature...? Ah, got it.

"A digital camera."

"Hm?"

"She had a camera with her. She'd hidden it against her chest, but I still saw it. Also, she might be a little shy, though that's just my guess. Please don't take that as fact."

"Is that enough?" After I asked, Ayanokoji and Kushida exchanged a glance, as if silently confirming something with each other.

"I think we can figure out who it was."

"You already have a lead? Sorry I couldn't be of more help."

"You've done plenty, Raku. If we find her, I'll let you know. Thank you."

### The Twenty-Second Chapter: By No Means a Deep Self-Understanding

Don't do what you don't have to do. For the things you have to do, keep it simple.

That was the creed of an energy-conservationist, and the principle I'd followed ever since enrolling. Some people might think that it was easier said than done. But in real life, it simply meant sorting things into what was meaningful and what wasn't.

I had to communicate in order to maintain my relationships with other people. I had to study to secure my future. As for club activities, they were optional. Of course, keeping things simple didn't mean doing them carelessly. Problems had to be solved cleanly and efficiently.

Besides, I must never make too many sacrifices just in case. For example, joining the dance club because dance might come in handy someday. Never indulge in that kind of wishful thinking. It's utterly absurd. You'll only wear yourself out and end up dead.

We have a choice. It's not that we lack the ability.

When things happen, we can let the past go, or we can go to great lengths to deal with them. In other words, neither of those things drains our energy. For an energy-conservationist, what truly takes energy is deciding what is and isn't necessary.

That was the true face of an energy-conservationist.

No, thinking more deeply about it, every ideology was ultimately about pursuing one's own interests...

After a long process of thought and deduction, I arrived at my own deeper understanding of "energy-conservationism."

So I absolutely wasn't just making excuses for the fact that I'd gotten lost.