Assemble, Seisuke Squad (Part 2)

The library was more crowded than usual, but it seemed to be simply because more first-years had chosen to come here to study.

A quick glance showed almost no change among the upperclassmen.

Didn't they have midterms?

With that doubt in mind, I pretended to look for books in the sorting section, but through the shelves, I observed the books on the upperclassmen's desks and their behavior.

It wasn't entirely class content either; it didn't even feel like they were studying for midterms.

Looking further around, it was almost only the first-years who were in the thick of it.

Led by Class B and Class D of the first year, almost all had adopted the same strategy.

I watched where Hirata and Kushida were sitting.

Class D was also tutoring their students at risk of failing.

But they didn't seem to be the ones in charge of tutoring.

Though they sat nearby, only the students at another table were interacting.

Looking more closely, I saw a black-haired girl who seemed to be explaining something.

For some reason, watching her back gave me a strange feeling.

I racked my brain, but couldn't recall where I'd met her.

Was she tutoring those boys?

I watched the students sitting in a circle, all staring blankly at their books or doing nothing.

The red-haired one should be the guy Shibata mentioned last time—the one who got into a quarrel with upperclassmen at the convenience store and was even mocked as defective goods.

But even gathered in the library, they seemed unable to find the motivation to study.

The red-haired guy leaned back in his chair, as if saying something.

The next moment, the black-haired girl slammed the book in her hand into his face.

Hirata and Kushida quickly stood up as well.

Class D seemed to be stuck in a quagmire, struggling to move forward.

In Class C of the first year, only the librarian and a few students were studying.

Ever since I got to know Shiina that night, I often ran into her in the library.

Though it was only to the extent of exchanging greetings, I learned from her that she was a student in Class C.

But come to think of it, even without this midterm, these few were regulars at the library.

It even made me feel like Class C hadn't chosen a strategy similar to Class B or Class D at all.

As for Class A, they seemed to be caught in some internal conflict.

I had asked Sakayanagi Arisu about it, but she only smiled faintly.

"It's just a matter of time."

That's what she told me.

"Hajima-kun, Honami-chan is looking for you..."

Just as I was still thinking, a sudden voice interrupted me.

I turned around and found it was Chihiro Shiramami.

"Shiramami-san, what's wrong?"

"Honami seems to want to talk to you about something, so she asked me to come get you."

"I understand."

I nodded to her, then followed her back.

Tetsuya Hamaguchi and Yui Ninomiya were sitting together, both working on problems.

Ichinose was sitting beside Yui Ninomiya, as if supervising them.

Ryota was sitting across from them, looking at a textbook in his hands.

Right, after the last study session, Tetsuya brought a new member into our group.

Yui Ninomiya.

She was a cheerful girl, and she got along especially well with the two other girls in the group.

After the last study session, Ryota made a set of targeted review problems for Tetsuya, while Ichinose personally handled Yui Ninomiya's.

As students of Class B, most were well-rounded, while a small portion had weak subjects.

For example, Tetsuya...

English and history were completely his Achilles' heel.

As for Yui Ninomiya, science was the difficult point.

When I returned, Ichinose stood up on her own.

"You worked hard, Chihiro-chan."

Ichinose patted Chihiro Shiramami on the head.

Chihiro Shiramami shook her head, then rubbed against Ichinose's palm before returning to her seat.

They really got along well.

I sighed in admiration, but noticed Chihiro Shiramami's gaze lingering on me.

"Ichinose, you wanted to see me..."

"Let's talk outside."

I nodded and followed her steps.

We walked to a bench and sat down together.

Ichinose frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke:

"Beppu-kun... worries me a bit."

"Mm... Is it because of his attitude toward girls?"

"You feel it too?"

Ryota—he had a clear aversion to girls.

I'd felt that way from the very first time I met him.

When we first entered school and headed to the cafeteria together, I tentatively expressed some opinions, and he quickly agreed.

But the feeling he gave me was more like he wanted to act as if he was shutting girls out.

It didn't feel like prejudice.

Just mutual non-interference, nothing more.

I shared my impressions with Ichinose.

"That's true..."

"But I think this is everyone's own choice. I still respect Ryota's thoughts."

Who you want to be friends with—that's your own right.

I can't really say whether it's a good move or not, but Ryota will also lose a lot because of his own choices.

It's not necessarily about romance or anything like that...

"Ryota, she just wanted you to check her work. Did you really have to say that?"

"..."

"She can wait for Ichinose to come back, or she can look at the notes herself. What I do has nothing to do with her. What she wants also has nothing to do with me."

"She's still a classmate, how can you say something like that?"

Tetsuya slammed the book in Ryota's hand onto the desk. The sound of the book hitting the surface instantly spread through the library.

Ryota just coldly crossed his arms, staring at Tetsuya.

Yui Ninomiya was holding Chihiro Shiramami, looking a bit at a loss in this situation.

But it seemed like Yui Ninomiya was the one who'd been wronged.

"What's all the arguing about?"

I sat down between them and asked.

Ryota glanced at me, but didn't bother to explain.

"Ninomiya-san finished her review problems, but since Ichinose wasn't here, she hoped Ryota could help check them."

"But..."

Before he could finish, Yui Ninomiya interrupted.

"It's fine, Hamaguchi-kun... Maybe Beppu-kun was doing his own thing too."

I exchanged a glance with Ichinose.

"If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

Ryota packed up his book, slung his bag over his shoulder, and started to leave.

"Ryota, at least apologize properly before you go... Hey!"

But Ryota had already left his seat.

"Sorry."

I said to Yui Ninomiya.

But she just waved her hand at me and gave me a smile in return.

I looked toward Ichinose, but she gave me a reassuring look in return.

"Tetsuya, calm down first. I'll handle it."

He glanced at me, then toward the door.

In the end, he let out a sigh and sat down.

I walked out of the library, only to find that Ryota hadn't gone far.

It seemed like he was waiting for me.

I took two cans of soda from the vending machine.

He accepted one from my hand but didn't open it.

We crouched together by the roadside.

Passing students cast plenty of glances our way, but neither of us spoke.

I stared at the clear blue sky, while Ryota silently fixed his gaze on the ground.

After another moment, the sound of a soda can opening rang out.

"You should go apologize."

There was no response from him—he just tilted his head back and gulped down the soda.

"I can't do it."

He looked at me.

I understood. It wasn't that apologizing itself was impossible.

Rather, interacting with a girl seemed to be something he genuinely resisted from the bottom of his heart.

"I'll go apologize, but I really can't do it."

He repeated himself, the can crumpling in his hand.

"Tetsuya hasn't been through what I have, so he can't understand me."

I nodded, acknowledging his point.

"But Yui Ninomiya did nothing wrong."

"I know..."

He seemed pained, his fingers digging hard into his scalp.

Burying his head between his knees, he trembled slightly.

"But what did I do wrong..."

His eyes were rimmed red, the whites shot through with blood vessels.