NOVEL WEB Chapter 46: Chapter 45 -Discomfort
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I'd been feeling a sense of unease about the recent atmosphere at school.
The first thing I noticed was an increase in girls' absences. Particularly noticeable were the key members of the sports and cultural clubs. It wasn't influenza, nor was it COVID. But when they returned after a few days, something about them felt different.
Then there was the sudden change in personality. For example, Watanabe, who was always irritable, suddenly became considerate of others. It was as if a different person had taken their place.
"Nagase-san is absent again..." I murmured, looking at the attendance register for 3rd year B class. Nagase Mirei. The ace of the track and field club. Yet, she hadn't shown up since last week.
"Sato, lend me that," Suzuki, sitting next to me, called out.
"Oh? That's unusual, Morikawa is absent too?"
That's right. Morikawa Saori from 2nd year A class. She had also been absent from school for a week. It was not normal for her, the energetic health committee member, to be absent for a whole week.
"Aren't there a lot of girls absent lately?" Suzuki tilted his head.
"And they're all usually out for about a week."
I heard voices from the back of the classroom.
"Tachibana-san's personality changed, didn't it?"
"She used to argue so much..."
Tachibana Kyouko. The problem child of 2nd year C class. Arguing with teachers was a daily occurrence. Now, she was as quiet as an honor student.
Looking out the window, I noticed another concerning sight in the courtyard.
Watanabe Tomoya and Shirota Mai. A popular, deeply in love couple since last year. But now, they passed each other like strangers.
"Those two broke up."
"And Watanabe-kun, without even giving a reason..."
"Apparently he blocked her on LINE."
Rumors spread throughout the classroom.
Yesterday, it was Tanaka-senpai from 3rd year C class. Before that, Kimura-san from 1st year B class. Everyone, a sudden change. And unexplained absences.
"Satou-kun," Misaki's voice brought me back.
"The student council meeting is about to start."
"Ah, oh..."
The hectic days before summer vacation.
"Ryuji-kun, please confirm this," Misaki said in the student council room. A special way of calling me, only when no one else was around.
"Alright." Although I wasn't a student council officer, I had started helping with student council work this year. Officially, it was an act of gratitude for being tutored.
The quote for the cultural festival posters. I couldn't believe my eyes at the unusually high figure.
"30% more than last year..."
"Hmm, I guess it's over budget."
Piles of documents on the desk. Drafts for the newsletter, budget reports, application forms. It was especially busy before summer vacation.
Amidst it all, something was definitely going awry.
As I left the classroom, new rumors reached my ears.
"Hey, did you hear?"
"This time, Kono-senpai..."
Those voices, too,
faded into the summer cicada's song.
Onizuka Gou. He was once known as the toughest delinquent in school. Even as an elementary school student, he was mischievous and had even fought with me. But now, he was strangely quiet.
"Hey, Onizuka-san!"
Even when his juniors called out to him,
"Sorry, I have urgent business..."
he would just quickly leave.
---Looking back, a month ago---
"Yamashita! Go buy me a canned coffee!"
Onizuka's shouts echoed in the hallway.
"Y-yes!"
The thin Yamashita Ginta clutched his wallet with trembling hands. Unable to meet his gaze, he scurried away in a hunched posture.
"Hey, even if I don't tell you, bring me my favorite curry bread too!"
"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry!"
Teasing laughter. The surrounding students pretended not to see.
Yamashita was always the victim. His small stature. Large, black-rimmed glasses. A stuttering voice. A personality that couldn't meet eyes. A perfect target for bullies.
Onizuka, in particular, was fixated on him.
"That guy likes killing bugs."
"He's a gross guy."
He would spread such rumors, further fueling Yamashita's isolation.
Then, two weeks ago. Yamashita was hospitalized.
"It was an accident,"
"Onizuka probably pushed him down the stairs..."
"But Yamashita himself is denying it, apparently."
After that, Onizuka changed. He stopped fighting. He started keeping his distance from his juniors. As if he were a completely different person.
"That guy was throwing up in the infirmary."
"Someone saw him wandering around school in the middle of the night."
New rumors began to spread.
"Hey," Suzuki, sitting next to me, murmured. "Onizuka really changed, didn't he?"
"For him to avoid people..."
Indeed. Usually, during lunch break, he would be making a ruckus on the sports field, but now, he was supposedly spending his time alone in the library.
"Ever since the Yamashita incident..."
"It's like, guilt or something..."
I looked out the window. In the corner of the schoolyard, there was a small flowerbed. The place Yamashita used to take care of. Now, no one tended to it. Only weeds grew quietly.
One week later, with just two weeks left until summer vacation.
"Good morning..."
A quiet shock ran through the classroom. Yamashita Ginta had returned.
Still the same small stature. Oversized uniform. Downcast eyes behind black-rimmed glasses.
But something was different. Subtly, but definitely.
"Yamashita!" Onizuka sprang up from his seat. "I'll carry your bag."
The entire classroom froze. Why was Onizuka, the bully, acting like this...?
"Ah... th-thank... y-you."
His stutter was still there. But his voice held a faint hint of confidence.
"You guys!" Onizuka looked around, intimidating those nearby. "Yamashita is my best friend. Got it?"
No one could speak. Everyone was visibly bewildered by the sudden reversal of roles.
"Huh... Yamashita-kun, he's back." A cold voice from the back of the classroom.
"Killing bugs or something..."
At that moment, "You bastard!" Onizuka's roar echoed. "Take back what you just said!"
The student who spoke paled and apologized. Yamashita watched them with a somewhat hollow gaze.
"Are you okay?" Onizuka asked gently. "Do you want to rest in the infirmary?"
"N-no... I-I'm f-fine." Yamashita shook his head slightly.
Lunch break. The two disappeared into the library. Onizuka was carrying Yamashita's lunch.
"Isn't something strange?"
"Onizuka, that Onizuka..."
"He seems to be protecting Yamashita."
Rumors spread. But no one knew why.
I looked out the window. The flowerbed that Yamashita used to tend to was now neatly weeded and cared for.
Who had taken care of it? Another new mystery of this strange summer.
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