I'm Tired. Let It All Burn!

"Are you taking pictures again today, Airi?"

After school that afternoon, Uesugi Hara had been asked to meet at the same place where they had taken pictures last time.

"Mm." Airi nodded, clutching the hem of her clothes with her fingers, looking a little uneasy.

"Then why didn't you bring your camera?" Uesugi Hara looked around, but couldn't find it.

"I... I forgot... forgot my camera. I'll use my Terminal to take pictures today," Airi said haltingly, her eyes darting away.

Seeing her stumble over her words, Uesugi Hara found it a little suspicious.

He gave her a doubtful look, but Airi dodged it perfectly.

She really did have a talent for that.

"It's fine. If you forgot your camera, you forgot it. You can take pictures with your Terminal too," he reassured her.

"Mm."

Why had she chosen to come back here?

Watching Airi happily take pictures nearby, Uesugi Hara found himself wondering.

Given Airi's personality, after witnessing something like that with her own eyes, she shouldn't have come back here. Besides, there were plenty of places around the school where she could take pictures. So why had she chosen this spot?

Could it be that she wasn't afraid as long as he was here?

"Uesugi." A voice called out, pulling him from his thoughts.

Ayanokoji? What was he doing here? And Horikita Suzune, too?

"Airi, are you okay?" Sakura Airi ran behind Uesugi Hara, timidly hiding from Horikita Suzune, who had just been pestering her.

"Uesugi, what are you doing here?"

"Ayanokoji, that's what I should be asking you. What are you doing here? And Horikita, your attitude just now seemed a little off, didn't it?" Uesugi Hara fixed Horikita Suzune with a sharp look.

Horikita Suzune glared right back, undaunted. "Sakura is a member of our class. We're questioning one of our classmates. I don't see what that has to do with an outsider like you!"

"Airi's my friend. What do you think?" Uesugi Hara took a step forward, copying Horikita Suzune's earlier posture. His presence immediately bore down on her.

Seeing the two looking ready to come to blows at the slightest provocation, Ayanokoji had no choice but to step in and try to calm them down.

"Uesugi, Horikita, calm down."

"Ayanokoji! Shut up!" x2

Ayanokoji opened his mouth, then closed it. Did you two really have to be so in sync about this?

Let it all burn. I'm tired.

Though that was what Ayanokoji thought, he still forced himself to step in. "How long are you two going to keep staring each other down? And could you at least consider how Sakura feels?"

Uesugi Hara didn't want to listen to Ayanokoji, but he had a point. Sakura's feelings mattered to him.

"You're nowhere near as good as your brother."

After saying that in a flat tone, Uesugi Hara was the first to look away, ending the standoff.

Horikita Suzune had been ready to let it go, but his words immediately made her furious.

She suddenly lunged at Uesugi Hara.

...This is bad.

Ayanokoji felt as if the sky were falling.

Horikita Suzune's moves were somewhat similar to the ones Horikita Manabu had used last time, but they lacked some of the power and technique.

Her attacks were sharp, each strike carrying a wave of heat.

But against Uesugi Hara, they clearly weren't enough.

"Please stop fighting," Ayanokoji said in the same mechanical tone as before.

His attempt to break up the fight didn't do much.

Neither of them even looked at him. Well, Airi did glance at him worriedly, but her look seemed to say, "Maybe you should try again."

The outcome was inevitable. Uesugi Hara quickly pinned Horikita Suzune to the ground.

Afraid he might be set up like Ken Sudō, Uesugi Hara hadn't gone all out. He focused on restraining Horikita Suzune, so it took him a little longer.

"I haven't fought in so long that I'm a little rusty," Uesugi Hara said with a long sigh.

"Ayanokoji, you're just going to stand there and watch?" Horikita Suzune lay facedown on the ground, her little face flushed with anger.

Faced with Horikita Suzune's accusation, Ayanokoji didn't react much. He said helplessly, "Uesugi, that's probably enough."

He was really exhausted. It wasn't that he didn't want to help Horikita Suzune.

He was just afraid that if he stepped in, Uesugi Hara would deliberately take a hit, then join Class C in accusing them.

"Well, since you've asked, what else can I say?" With that, he released Horikita Suzune from beneath him.

The moment Horikita Suzune was free, she tried to retaliate, but Ayanokoji stopped her. You couldn't beat him!

"Horikita, calm down."

Seeing that there was nothing else to deal with, Uesugi Hara prepared to leave with Airi.

"Could I ask you something, Sakura?" Ayanokoji suddenly spoke up.

Airi instinctively glanced at Uesugi Hara.

Meeting his calm, gentle gaze, Airi understood that he wanted her to decide for herself.

So she looked back at Ayanokoji and nodded.

"Even if you witnessed what happened, you're under no obligation to come forward. Besides, forcing you to testify wouldn't mean anything."

Airi gripped her Terminal tightly and whispered, "I didn't see anything. You've got the wrong person..."

"If that's true, then good," Ayanokoji said without pressing her. He only added, "If anyone tries to force you to testify, you can come to me anytime."

Airi nodded to show she understood.

Uesugi Hara left through the exit with Airi.

They had just reached the exit when they ran into Ichinose Honami, who was walking toward them.

"What a coincidence, Uesugi!" Ichinose greeted him with a smile.

"Ah, Ichinose."

"Hello. I'm Ichinose Honami from Class B. Could we get to know each other?"

"Class D... Sakura... Airi." Startled by Ichinose's sudden greeting, Airi spoke softly, barely loud enough for Ichinose to hear.

"Hello, Sakura!"

"Y... hello."

No wonder everyone called her a great angel. Her warmth was incredible.

"Ichinose, where are you headed?"

"I'm going to check out the scene of the incident. Maybe I'll find some clues," Ichinose said energetically.

"I see. There are still people from Class D over there. Maybe you'll run into them."

"Then I'll go take a look! Goodbye, Uesugi and Sakura!"

Though Ichinose was puzzled about why people from Class D were still there, and why Sakura was with Uesugi, she didn't let it show.

"See you," Uesugi Hara replied.

Meanwhile,

Horikita Suzune was still demanding to know why Ayanokoji hadn't stepped in. His skills were clearly good enough to exchange a few moves with her brother.

"What if Uesugi took a few hits, then joined Class C in accusing us?" There was a faint, hard-to-discern note of grievance in his voice.

"Then shouldn't I be able to accuse him?" Horikita Suzune's mind raced.

"...You're not injured."

I'm so tired...

Horikita Suzune checked herself all over. Apart from some dirt on her clothes, there weren't any obvious marks.

Her expression turned grim.

Damn it! Was she really going to let him get away with it? How infuriating!

"Uesugi..."

"Is something wrong, Airi?"

"Do you think... I should testify for Sudo?"

They said the eyes were windows to the soul, but Airi kept her head lowered, and Uesugi Hara couldn't see what she was thinking.

"That's up to you, Airi. But whatever you decide, I'll support you." Uesugi Hara ruffled her hair and said with a smile.

"I understand..."