Kohei Katsuragi's Awakening

With Star Color's guidance, Kohei Katsuragi gradually got the hang of fishing. The two of them put on their gloves and began enjoying a leisurely summer day by the river.

Watching Kohei Katsuragi, a complete beginner, catch six reasonably sized fish in a single afternoon filled Star Color with envy.

Star Color's afternoon haul was zero fish. At long last, he finally got a bite from a little one—only to fumble and let it slip back into the river.

As a seasoned fishing fanatic, Star Color was shaking with anger. Little Fist Stone Katsuragi had a [beginner's protection period], while he didn't even have a [welcome-back fishing bonus for returning players]. The despicable Kohei Katsuragi had definitely stolen his [fishing luck]!

"I say, Otonashi."

The dusky sunlight fell across Kohei Katsuragi's resolute face.

"What is it?"

Star Color cast aside his irritation and looked toward him.

"Fishing is actually pretty fun..."

Oh no, Little Fist Stone Katsuragi was getting into fishing. And could you not say that so seriously? You were making it sound like some wild development in a sports manga, followed by a "Coach! I want to fish!" moment and the National College Fishing League!

"Hahaha... I see. It's perfectly normal for guys to get into fishing. It's a hobby that helps you relax."

Star Color felt as if he'd led another person astray. A hobby that helped you relax? He'd been red-hot with frustration several times over already.

Kohei Katsuragi cooked the meal himself while Star Color sat in his room, leisurely drinking a can of cola.

Last time, Star Color had teased him for not keeping any cola around. This time, he actually had a can ready. It was so touching!

After getting his game console back, Star Color played Front Mission, an excellent, hardcore strategy game about mechs.

"Let's eat."

Star Color picked up a piece of fish and tasted it. It had a home-cooked flavor—not bad, with a comforting warmth to it.

"Not bad."

Star Color gave his verdict.

"If you like it, have some more."

Kohei Katsuragi served Star Color a bowl of rice.

"Classmate Little Fist Stone Katsuragi, are you one of those people who cook in the dorms, too?"

Star Color asked, glancing at Kohei Katsuragi's rice cooker.

"Yeah. I'm used to cooking for myself. I have to look after my younger sister most of the time. My family situation is complicated, so I don't have much choice."

"Oh..."

Star Color didn't pry or overstep. Every family had its share of troubles.

"Otonashi. What do you think of the Sakayanagi Faction...?"

"Huh? It's just a boring, vulgar game."

Star Color felt that the back-and-forth between them was less interesting than the bowl of rice in front of him. At this point, he'd rather just eat.

"Honestly, I want to unite this class. I don't want to see it divided over things like this. I hope everyone can enjoy a meaningful school life here."

"That's quite a resolve."

Compared to Sakayanagi Arisu's faction, whose members' thoughts were impossible to read, Kohei Katsuragi's slogan was much more compelling to me... As if. It was just boring schoolyard make-believe.

"Otonashi, are you part of the Sakayanagi Faction?"

"I'm completely neutral. Classmate Sakayanagi tried to recruit me, but I'm not interested in getting involved in something so troublesome."

Star Color scratched his head and answered blankly.

"That really suits your lazy personality."

"I don't want people telling me what to do."

Star Color picked up another piece of fish and chewed it in tiny bites, like a cat that hadn't quite grown up yet.

"I don't want any of our classmates getting caught up in this pointless mess, either."

"If you keep giving way, you'll never get anything done."

Star Color lowered his chopsticks, then pointed them at him, like a master swordsman aiming the tip of his blade at Katsuragi's head.

"Kierkegaard once said that during a game of chess, an opponent might say of one of the pieces, 'This piece cannot be moved.' I feel like I'm in the same position as that piece."

"You've fallen into that kind of pointless state."

"For peace to last on Earth, humanity needs to evolve. First, we must become beings capable of seeing the whole picture."

"Your perspective is too narrow. I don't mean that as criticism. Your [love] for your classmates is undoubtedly right."

"But can you learn to do something for yourself? Let go of your [sister], let go of your [love] for the class. Do it for no one and nothing but yourself."

"Y-you mean...?"

Kohei Katsuragi looked at Star Color's serious expression—that of an [adult], far removed from any [high schooler], with a dejected, grimy air about him. The contrast with his usual self was so jarring that Katsuragi could only stammer out those five words.

If Student Council President Manabu Horikita had the presence of a [coolheaded and capable leader], Star Color seemed like a dying man who had [scraped by at the bottom of society and fallen into despair].

"You actually have something troubling you, something you've kept hidden deep inside. This [love] makes you hesitate..."

"You think too much from other people's point of view and worry about them. People like that often end up neglecting their own thoughts..."

Star Color took a sip of his cola, now flat and lifeless. It was summer, the season of summer nights and rising fireworks.

"Then what should I do...?"

Hearing those words, Kohei Katsuragi found his thoughts and reason slipping out of his control as he sought that [perfect, absolutely correct answer] from Star Color.

"I don't know much about Classmate Little Fist Stone Katsuragi's family, but if this is what's troubling you, then your choice is one hundred percent right. Letting others choose for you is really just choosing not to choose. Trust the thoughts in your head. That's the best choice for you."

"I really do love my [sister]... and my [class]..."

Kohei Katsuragi thought of his frail, frequently ill younger sister and everyone in his class. His voice grew choked with emotion...

Perhaps he'd laid bare the uncertainty in Kohei Katsuragi's heart. Star Color drew back his chopsticks and lowered his head to eat.

"Then do it for the sake of your own ideals... Not for others, but for [yourself]. Work hard to make them real..."

"We don't have to become cruel just because the world is absurd. So, Kohei Katsuragi, you can be a bad student every now and then. Be suspicious of others, be selfish, and fight dirty if you have to. [People] exist for the sake of their own ideals and happiness."

"Perhaps humans come to know themselves through other people's words and actions. At first, we treat the people around us like mirrors."

"So put down that burden and take it all in. Learn to love [yourself], for your own sake."

Those bright purple eyes shimmered like flowing water, rising like fireworks on a summer night—

Star Color needed to untie the knot in his heart... and overcome that weakness.

After all, an entirely one-sided situation was far too boring for Star Color.

For two factions to clash, there had to be a worthy opponent, like in a battle-of-wits manga. A one-sided rout would only make the story dull.

Wouldn't this make things interesting?