A Shot of Hope, a Second Shot at Dawn

He was someone who dared to defy fate. Alone, he infiltrated an army of thousands and appeared in a heavily guarded place.

Using a homemade firearm disguised as a camera, he fired two shots at his target. After successfully taking the man's life, he remained where he was and surrendered.

He was a truly great man.

His first shot sounded the counterattack against society. His second carried every misfortune brought about during that leader's reign—a shot from hell that dragged him down into hell.

That night, many people cheered for him and forever etched his name into their hearts. His name was Yamagami Tetsuya.

Kamigami Haruo finished his emotional account and emerged from the world he had immersed himself in.

The silence around him made him open his eyes and look at the two people staring at each other across from him.

"It makes sense that you don't know him. After all, this world doesn't have that person."

Kamigami Haruo shrugged, picked up his lunchbox, and returned to his own seat to eat.

After considering what he had just said, the harmless-looking Ayanokōji awkwardly scratched his head.

"So I can take it that the leader was the prime minister, and Kamigami's idol was the person who assassinated the prime minister?"

"He's a lunatic."

Horikita Suzune merely said that indifferently before untying her lunchbox strap and preparing to eat.

She did not take it to heart. Nothing Kamigami Haruo said could surprise her.

"It suddenly feels a little cold. Am I coming down with something?"

Ayanokōji shuddered before taking another bite of his bread.

After putting away the textbook he had used as a pillow, Kamigami Haruo glanced at the weather outside the window and prepared to head straight for the field.

"Kamigami, may I bother you for a moment?"

Kamigami Haruo turned his head, and after seeing who it was, he teased him.

"What's up, Hirata? Shouldn't you be going to the café with Karuizawa and the others?"

"Haha, I told them to wait for me at the café because I wanted to talk to you for a bit first. Is that okay?"

Kamigami Haruo understood the other boy's purpose after only a moment's thought.

After all, Hirata Yosuke had spoken with Ayanokōji after school the day before yesterday.

That showed just how much effort he put into keeping the class harmonious.

Kamigami Haruo intended to make things clear with Hirata Yosuke. It would be annoying if he kept coming to him over this matter.

"No problem. What did you want to say?"

"You and Horikita are close, right? Could you ask her to get along with the rest of the class? The girls have a bit of an issue with her right now."

Before Hirata Yosuke could continue, Kamigami Haruo cut him off.

"That? I wouldn't care even if she got bullied."

Although Hirata Yosuke's mood darkened slightly at those words, he voiced his thoughts.

"Uh... how can you say that? You're Horikita's friend, aren't you? Besides, I absolutely won't let that happen. That's why I wanted to ask you to help."

Thinking of the hand chop that had landed on him, Kamigami Haruo replied without the slightest concern.

"Because I believe that if anyone dared bully her, she'd retaliate without mercy. That's Horikita—she always pays back a grudge."

At that moment, a figure who had just reached the doorway heard those words, nodded approvingly, and continued out of the classroom.

"Besides, why aren't you trying to persuade Koenji instead of Horikita? Is it because he can guarantee his own safety? If so, then you don't need to worry about Horikita either."

After saying that, Kamigami Haruo patted Hirata Yosuke on the shoulder and leisurely walked out of the classroom.

As he walked along the tree-lined path beside the school building, Kamigami Haruo vaguely heard footsteps gradually approaching him.

"Yahallo, Kamigami-kun."

"Oh, Ichinose."

"Kamigami-kun sure is carefree. I heard it from Kushida, you know. You're either sleeping or reading manga."

"Uh, since this is the only month I can take it easy, I'd be letting myself down if I didn't enjoy it properly."

"Kamigami-kun is just making excuses for being lazy. I've seen right through you."

Ichinose joked in a rather confident tone.

"As long as I'm happy, that's all that matters."

Kamigami Haruo turned to the next page of his manga.

The two parted ways at the fork in the road, but from Ichinose's "see you later," she was probably heading to the field as well.

Not long after Kamigami Haruo finished stretching and began jogging, the late-arriving Ichinose came to the field in a tracksuit, trotting over to catch up with him.

"I don't want to see Ichinose Wave in a month, so hurry up and stretch."

Ignoring the magnificent sight bouncing up and down, Kamigami Haruo spoke to the girl beside him.

"Haha, I was in such a hurry that I forgot. I'll do it right away."

Ichinose laughed awkwardly, stopped, and moved to the side to stretch.

Two hours later, once Kamigami Haruo had finished stretching, he headed back toward where he had left his bag.

"Wake up, Ichinose. Wake up."

He poked Ichinose's cheek, and when she did not react, he shook her shoulder.

"Good morning... Kamigami-kun."

The bleary-eyed Ichinose sat up, rubbed her eyes, and stretched like a cat.

"You're still half asleep. Here."

After handing Ichinose a tissue to wipe her mouth, he picked up the manga that had fallen nearby and took out a towel to wipe his sweat.

"If you're tired, go back. Why did you stay here?"

"Mm, I was witnessing Kamigami-kun's hard work. I really admire you for being so determined when it comes to exercise."

Grrr...

Kamigami Haruo puzzledly touched his stomach. He did not feel particularly hungry, so why was it making noise?

Whatever. He was probably used to being hungry and had become numb to the feeling.

He also failed to notice Ichinose beside him clutching her stomach.

"There shouldn't be anyone from Class B in the student cafeteria at this hour, right?"

"Probably not. I just turned down their invitation to eat together and came to the field to exercise."

Ichinose got up, dusted off her butt, and prepared to go to the student cafeteria with Kamigami Haruo.

"Yeah, let's go."

Student cafeteria.

Kamigami Haruo had just sat down with his tray when he heard someone greeting Ichinose.

"Good evening, Honami!"

"Ah, good evening, Chihiro."

Kamigami Haruo looked toward the voice. Wasn't that Shiranami Chihiro?

Judging by that timid voice, she seemed easy to bully.

After seeming to take a deep breath, she spoke to Ichinose.

"Um... Honami, could I... eat with you?"

Because Kamigami Haruo had previously said he did not like crowds, Ichinose looked at him for permission.

It was only one person, so Kamigami Haruo nodded in agreement.

"Join us, if you don't mind, Chihiro."

"Thank you. This... classmate is?"

Shiranami Chihiro sat beside Ichinose before noticing someone was sitting across from them.

"My name is Kamigami Haruo. Ichinose is my lifesaver."

"You're exaggerating, Kamigami-kun. It was only some bread."

After refuting his teasing, Ichinose started a conversation to make Shiranami Chihiro feel included.

"Didn't you go shopping with Yume and the others, Chihiro?"

"Ah, yeah. Since Honami wasn't there... and I had some things to take care of, I turned them down."

"I see. Then how about we find another time to go shopping together?"

"Y-yes! I'd love to!"

Shiranami Chihiro immediately agreed to the invitation without a second thought, then could not suppress her curiosity any longer and asked.

"Did Honami turn down the invitation because you had a date with Kamigami?"

"Pfft... Shiranami, how did your mind even get there? We were just working out together. We only came to the cafeteria because we got hungry."

After wiping his mouth, Kamigami Haruo wondered whether she had fallen for him so quickly.

Probably not. For now, they were more than friends but less than lovers.