CK 49

Chapter 49…

The Person Who Looked in a Bad Mood

The sun blazed down on the schoolyard.

Even though we were told the rainy season had started a few days ago, the sky was so clear and blue that it made me doubt that claim.

Of course, I knew the rainy season didn’t mean it rained every single day. Still, I couldn’t help but feel slightly resentful that on the one day I had to be out on the schoolyard, there wasn’t a single cloud in sight.

In contrast to my slightly sour mood, the campus of Seibō High School was buzzing with cheerful energy.

Yes—today was the Sports Festival.

Honestly, I couldn’t care less.
Luckily, due to the numbers, I didn’t have to participate in any of the events.

I’d wanted to skip the whole thing since it was a pain, but Yui wouldn’t stop nagging, and it would’ve been rude to our homeroom teacher Tamsen, who often looked out for me.

So, here I was—reluctantly attending and sitting in the shadow of a tent at the very edge of the field.

Of course, Yui had been noisy and hyper the moment we arrived—constantly trying to take pictures and such.

But right now, she was off somewhere with her friends from another class, leaving me alone in peace.
I wished that peace would last until the closing ceremony.

Unfortunately, it didn’t.

“Maa-kun! Maa-kun! Come quick! Hurry—right now!”

Yui came running back, yelling.
I held back the sigh rising in my throat. “What is it?”

“I’ll explain later! Just come with me! Please! I need you, Maa-kun!”

Before I could respond, she grabbed my hand and started pulling me.

…Yeah, this was the type of situation where refusal wasn’t an option.

I gave up, stood up, and let her drag me across the field.

Why would she need me, though?
It’s not like some monster or “Fallen Star” suddenly appeared.

The place she brought me to was our class’s tent.
Someone was on the track just beyond the rope—wait, that’s…

“Mayu Nagasawa?”
“Mayu-chan! I brought him!”
“Thanks, Yui-chan! Masato-kun! Come on, get over here—hurry up!”

Mayu urged me on, so I stepped over the rope onto the track.

Then she grabbed my wrist and started running, pulling me across the field.

We stopped at the staff tent.
…What on earth was going on?

“Here! Please check this!”

Mayu handed a piece of paper to one of the student committee members.
The student looked at her in surprise, then turned to stare directly at me.
For several seconds.

Then the student nodded and said, “Accepted.”

“Yay! As expected of you, Masato-kun! I’m so glad we’re friends!”
“Huh?”

Mayu clapped her hands happily.
Before I could demand an explanation, we were guided to sit down inside the track.

A voice from the broadcasting club came over the speakers:

“Class 3 just finished first! Keep it up, everyone!”

After that announcement, I turned to Mayu. “Explain.”

“What, seriously? …Wait, do you not even know what event this is right now?”
“I don’t care enough to know.”

Mayu looked at me like I was hopeless.

…What, is that a crime?

Before she could explain, the other classes finished, and the event ended—without me understanding a thing.

At the exit gate stood Yui, Hiyori, and Chiharu Hanayama.
We met up, and the five of us walked away from the field.
Yui was the first to speak.

“Good job, you two! Maa-kun, you were amazing out there!”
“Seriously, Masato-kun, you saved us! I’m so glad we’re friends!”
“Thanks to you, we got first place!
…By the way, what was the prompt again? Mayu, you ran to me the moment you saw it.”
“Oh, that! The prompt was—‘Someone who looks in a bad mood.’”

The moment she said it, the other four burst out laughing.

Even Hiyori and Hanayama—who rarely laughed—were cracking up.
…Wait, that event was a Borrowed Item Race?

What kind of prompt is that? You’ll just end up offending people!

“That’s perfect! Maa-kun, you’re totally number one for that!”
“I agree with Shirakami-san. If it’s Insei-kun, definitely number one.”

Hanayama had already regained her composure, but she wouldn’t meet my eyes.

…She’s still laughing inside, isn’t she?

“…You guys are rude, you know that?” I muttered.

“If you don’t like it, you should fix your bangs and your glare,” Hiyori shot back bluntly.

Well, if my bangs cover my eyes and I look like I’m glaring, maybe people would think I’m grumpy…

Still, that’s rude.
It’s not like I try to look angry. I don’t even notice it myself.

We eventually made it back to the tent at the edge of the field.

I gave up on arguing and sat down.
The other four followed and sat too.

“Hey, Masato-kun, if you ever want to change your hairstyle, come to my place!”
“Oh right—Mayu’s family runs a salon, right?”
“Yep!”

And just like that, the chatter began again.

…Why here, though?

Before I could say anything, another loud, energetic voice called out:

“There you are! I saw that earlier!”
“Oh, Shiro-kun! Good job out there!”
“Yeah, same to you! So, what was that prompt again?”
“It was ‘someone who looks in a bad mood!’”

The moment he heard that, Shirō burst out laughing too.

These guys are seriously rude.
More importantly…

“Why do all of you keep gathering around me?”
“Huh?”

Everyone looked at me.

Then Yui spoke up.

“See! You are in a bad mood!”
“No. I’m asking why. Is it wrong to question that?”

The air turned a little awkward, but I continued unfazed.

“I get why Yui and Hiyori are here. And you, Shiro.
But why you two—Nagasawa and Hanayama?”

It was odd. Mayu was social and had many friends, while Hanayama usually preferred to be alone.

Mayu answered first.

“Hmm… maybe because you’re interesting?
And I kinda want to be real friends with you, Masato-kun!”

I had no idea what that meant. “What’s interesting about me?” I asked, then turned to Hanayama.

“I stay near you guys because it’s quieter.
If I’m with you, people don’t bother me as much,” she replied flatly.

…So we’re basically her shield?

I sighed internally. I never understood Hanayama.

Yui then said cheerfully, “Who cares about reasons? We’re having fun, that’s what matters!”
“Yeah, Masato-kun, you overthink things,” added Mayu.

“See?” Yui grinned. “Right?”
…These two get along too well.

The small talk continued, and since moving somewhere else sounded like too much trouble, I just gave up.

Then Shirō spoke to me with a slightly exasperated tone.

“Masato… you talk that way even with girls who aren’t Yui?”
“What are you getting at?”

He backed off. “Whoa, not mad?”

Then don’t bring it up!

“I’m not mad,” I replied calmly.
“If you’re gonna say something, say it.”
“Alright… I mean, couldn’t you talk a little more… gently? You know, softer?”
“Why would I? I say what needs to be said.”

Shirō groaned awkwardly. “Okay, okay, never mind! Forget I said anything!”

…Coward.

As I thought that, someone called out, “Hirahara!”

“Huh? Someone call me?” he asked.
But none of us had, so we all shook our heads.

“Hirahara, finally found you.”
“Oh, Sayama! What’s up?”

A girl approached—around my height, athletic build, with dyed blond hair that ruined any sense of seriousness.

Yui whispered to me that she was Suzuho Sayama, a classmate of Shirō’s and a member of the sports committee.

“So, what do you want?”
“What do I want? You’re late for the committee meeting! I came to find you!”
“Ah—sorry! I’ll go now! See you guys later!”

With that, Shirō ran off toward the main tent, and Suzuho followed.

Yui watched them go and murmured, “Oh wait, Hiyo-chan, isn’t our meeting soon too?”
“Yeah, we should go.”
“Let’s! See you guys later!”

And with that, Yui and Hiyori left too.

That left just me, Mayu, and Hanayama.

“Everyone’s gone, huh?”
“I prefer it quiet.”
“Same.”

Silence fell.

Honestly, with all the noise around us, a bit of calm was welcome.
But Mayu seemed restless. “Hey, got anything to talk about?”

“No,” Hanayama and I said in unison.

…We’ve done this before.

Mayu pouted but eventually smiled. “Well, this isn’t bad either.”

Voices from the field echoed around us—cheers, laughter, excitement.

A normal scene of high school life.

But I didn’t come back to this town for a normal high school life.
I came to investigate the strange surge of magical energy observed here.

So really, I shouldn’t be wasting time on things like this.

Still, blending into ordinary life made information gathering easier.
And besides, I did need a high school diploma.

…Speaking of “ordinary,”
Shirō’s earlier comment still lingered in my mind.

Since Mayu had asked for a topic, I decided to bring it up.

“I want to ask you two something. What do you think of the way I talk?”
“What do you mean, all of a sudden?”
“Someone told me I should talk more gently. Who, doesn’t matter.”

They fell silent, thinking.

Mayu answered first.

“Well, I’m used to it, so I don’t really mind.
But if you want to change, then go ahead.
I mean… you’ve got a good face, Masato-kun.
If you spoke more softly, you’d probably be really popular, you know?”
“That’s not what this is about. And I’m not interested.”
“Right, right…
Still, yeah, a gentler tone would make you more approachable. But it’s your choice.”

…Actually, that was pretty fair feedback.
“I see,” I said.

“What about you, Hanayama?”
“No comment. I’m not exactly the best person to talk about social skills.”

…She’s dodging the question.
But whatever. “Alright,” I said simply.

Silence fell again, the air filled with the shouts of students.

Then the broadcast club announced:

“Next event: the three-legged race!”

“Oh! Yui-chan and Hiyori-chan are in that one, right?
We should go watch!”

Ugh. What a hassle.

But if I didn’t go, Yui would definitely complain later.

I sighed deeply. “…Let’s go, then.”

“What, really?”
“Didn’t expect that,” they said.

Ignoring them, I stood and started walking toward the track.

By the way, Yui and her partner—some guy named Tabuchi—finished first place.