Takahashi: I Told You She Had a Gap Between Her Two Sides

"Hello? What's up, Ayanokouji?"

It had been two days since Takahashi withdrew from Horikita's Study Group task. He hadn't expected Ayanokouji to call him now. Was he about to drag him off to be a seventeenth-century best-seller in prison?

"Um... there's been a bit of a problem."

"Is it about the Study Group?"

"I guess you could say that. Kushida got scolded by Horikita, and now..."

"Oh, I see." Takahashi glanced at Hoshinomiya-sensei beside him. "I'll be right there."

He hung up. He liked spending time with Hoshinomiya-sensei, but Class B and Class D were rivals to some extent. It was better not to let her know about Class D's internal affairs.

"Sorry, Hoshinomiya-sensei. I have to go to a Study Group organized by my classmates. You know, I'm erudite, a genius, incredibly well-read, and learned in the ways of the world... They need a guiding light to lead them out of failing grades."

"That's all right, Takahashi. Go help your classmates. I have a teachers' meeting to attend, too." Hoshinomiya-sensei was so understanding.

Once he reached the hallway, he called Ayanokouji back as he walked.

The call connected quickly.

"Hello? Tell me what happened between Kushida and Horikita."

"Um... I asked Kushida to invite Sudo and the others to the Study Group, on the condition that she joined, too. But Horikita wasn't exactly happy to have her there. Horikita just said something to her, and Kushida ran out looking really upset..."

"Wait a second." Through the hallway window, Takahashi spotted someone running into the school building. "So you can't find Kushida right now, right?"

"Yeah... that's right."

"Don't worry, I see her. I'll go check on her. You should try talking to Horikita, too."

"Okay."

"Why? Why doesn't someone like her just go die?"

"Bang, bang, bang..."

She stomped several times on the locked door leading to the roof.

Then came more muttered curses: "Damn it," "I'm so sick of this," and "How disgusting."

Takahashi didn't interrupt her. He sat on the stairs and waited for Kushida to let it all out. He understood how she felt. Everyone had their moments—people just handled them differently. Sudo, for example, would blow up on the spot, while Kushida was like a bowl that slowly filled with water. Sooner or later, it was bound to overflow.

For now, all Takahashi had to do was make sure Kushida was safe. There wasn't much else he could do.

He checked the time. Almost ten minutes had passed, and she was still cursing. Looks like quite a lot of water had overflowed.

"Haah..." Bored from waiting, Takahashi started to get sleepy and yawned.

"Who's there?"

Kushida hurried down the stairs and saw Takahashi sitting there.

"You... What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I fell asleep here just now. I just woke up."

"You heard everything, didn't you?"

"Heard what?" Takahashi asked, puzzled. Hadn't she just been cursing Horikita? She hadn't said anything secret. What was he supposed to have heard?

"Heh."

With a dark look on her face, Kushida stepped forward and grabbed Takahashi by the neck. Well, she called it grabbing, but she merely rested her hand there without applying any pressure.

Takahashi took her hand away and yawned again. "Done venting? If you are, let's go back to the dorm and get some sleep. It's getting late."

Before Takahashi could finish, Kushida took his hand and pressed it against her chest.

Takahashi: (*′???`*)

"If you tell anyone, I'll tell the teachers you assaulted me here. Your fingerprints on my clothes will be the evidence." Kushida's expression was dark as she spoke.

(ー_ー)!!

He grabbed Kushida by the wrist, yanked her forward, and pushed her against the wall.

"Ow."

"Kushida, everyone has times when their emotions boil over. It doesn't mean you're any less cute." As he spoke, Takahashi leaned in closer.

"What if I told you I'd been recording everything you've said from the very beginning? If I gave the recording to the teachers, what good would your so-called fingerprint evidence on your clothes do?"

"If you're going to put on an act, you have to go all the way."

"Bastard."

Back in the dorm, Takahashi lay on his bed and thought over everything that had happened since the start of the school year: Hirata, who worked hard to keep the class united; Karuizawa, who sought protection; Horikita, who struggled with socializing; Kushida, whose two sides were so different; Ayanokouji, who hid his abilities; and Teacher Chabashira and Hoshinomiya-sensei.

This school was getting more and more interesting!