Chapter 12,81: Camping Trip
(Tatsumi Kanji)
16th June 2011. Thursday. After School.
Tomorrow is our school camping trip. I'm sure lotta other student was looking forward to it, but I'm not. I can just imagine all of other students, especially the first year will go total silent whenever I'm around. I'm only going because my homeroom teacher, Teshigawara-sensei threatened to hold me back a year if I skipped the trip. I personally ain't give any shit about being held back a year, but I can't have mom worried about me so I got no choice but to go through with it. In this camping trip, there's 6 people in one group. Three guys and three girls can freely chose their teammates. So naturally mine was the last one formed. In my group there's another outcast, Kitahara Ryouta and Takigawa Kakeru, the guy who's always bothering me and Ryouta. Kakeru got the chance to join his otaku friend, but pass that opportunity to join the last team, mine and Ryouta's, the outcasts. I think it was the same reason why Akagi Erika joined my team as well. She was a rather popular girl because she was kind and had a fair looks. The other two girls, Sugawa Kyouko and Harada Aiko had no chance but to joined the last team because they were absent when the class discussed about the teams' distribution last week. I think they were close friend since I always see them together almost all the time.
Today we're suppose to buy grocery for our team's meal on the trip tomorrow, but I don't intent to go because I know it'll be a silent and awkward trip if I come. I can see Ryouta doesn't wanna go too, but Kakeru dragged us to Junes together with the girls by saying, "Come on, we're a team. Let's go shop together!" He said it really cheerfully. And so we go to the grocery store at Junes together, led by the Erika and Kakeru. Kakeru said Kyouko and Aiko will catch up with us because King Moron called for them earlier because they skipped a lot lately. I can imagine King Moron talking shit to them the same way he did to me when I start going to school about 2 weeks ago.
When we arrive at Junes, Erika come to approach both me and Ryouta, "Tatsumi-kun, Kitahara-kun, you're fine with curry right?" She asked joyfully.
"Yeah, I'm fine with it," Ryouta calmly answered with a smile while still holding a book in his right hand.
"Y-Yeah, sure." I nervoulsy answered. That was the first time a girl other than Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai came to talk to me.
"Alright then, I'll give my best shot making them!" She brightly said.
"You know, I heard from Kogure-kun you were helping out the basketball club the other day," she put her face near to mine and whispered. "I guess you're not as bad as I think you are." And then she went back to the other two girls.
"You don't accept me! You'll never accept me!"
I can heard my other self screaming furiously when I heard Erika said that to me. Yeah, he's right. A lotta other girls also said such things to me before the found out about my hobby and my love for cutesy shit. After that they will talk shit about me behind my back. So I just stand back and keep my distance from the girls with Ryouta while Kakeru seems to want to help them in picking the ingredients. I don't need to involve myself with them since our job is pretty much just taking their grocery after they're done shopping. After a while I can see Kyouko and Aiko come to Kakeru and Erika, ignoring both of us. They then just stand there chatting to each other after making a few small talks, letting Kakeru and Erika enthusiastically picking the ingredients. I can hear their banter from here. Looked like they think I can't hear them talking so they can speak freely.
"What's with that King Moron?!" Kyouko madly said. "I mean, we've only skipped a few days!"
"Give him a break," Aiko calmly said. "Insulting people is about his hobby."
"I heard he even insulted the victims of that murder case about a month ago, Yamano Mayumi and Konishi Saki," she added.
"Yeah, I heard about that too," Kyouko said. "It was like, 'it's no surprised that people who are unfaithful or run away from home meet a bad end.'" Kyouko said.
"That was really mean!" Aiko said. "But hey, I heard that the transfer student in second year actually stood up to King Moron on his first day."
"Woah! Really?!" Kyouko cheerfully said. "I wonder what kind of guy he is." Transfer student in second year? That must be Yuu-senpai they're talking about. As expected of him.
After that they just gossiping about some guys in the school without really helping the shopping. We're done shopping in about 45 minutes before we go back home with some portion of grocery that each of us had to take tomorrow. It looks like this is gonna be a boring trip after all. Well, I can always go to senpai's tents to hang out.
17th June 2011. Friday. Noon.
It's already lunch time. I feel a bit tired since in the morning we had to walk to the camping site that's located in the mountain far behind our school and after that we had to set up our own camp. The guys helped the girls' camp after they're done with their own tents. As I expected, wherever I go, other students, especially first year student went totally silent except for Kakeru who always bothering me. That guy's a real pain in the ass. The girls will cook our meal, well I can only see Erika who mainly do the cooking while Kyouko and Aiko just do something that make other people think they're "helping" while they ain't helping at all. Once it's done, our team eat in the same table. It was total silent. Argh! I can't take this anymore. It's like someone died here.
Once I'm done eating with them, I take off to look for senpai's tents in the second year area. Suddenly I can hear King Moron's voice shouting my name.
"Hey Tatsumi! You punk!" He shouted. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm just looking for some people," I answered as politely as I can.
"Who the hell are you, a guy who's in a gang even looking for here?" He asked once again. "This is the second year's tents!"
"Remember you're already on my shit list!" He yelled at me. "Don't cause any trouble or you'll be expelled immediately!"
"Now go back to your tent!" He yelled at me once again while pointing at the first year's tents area. Man, this guy really pissed mu off! I still can't believe he's a teacher with him easily talking shit to his student like that. I then make my way back to my tent when I see Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai, along with a girl with short black hair and glasses staring at a pot full of what looks like to be curry, but at the same time it doesn't. It stinks! It also looks like squishy and slimy.
"Hey senpai, what are you doing?" I asked as I approached them.
"U-Um, nothing," Chie-senpai nervously answered.
"Hey Yukiko, what're we gonna do?" I can heard she was whispering to Yuki-senpai. "Man, I'm really hungry." All three of them seemed really depressed.
"If you're hungry, you can always order Aiya's delivery," I suggested. "They're known to deliver anywhere and anytime."
"I thought the same thing," Yuki-senpai said. "But our cell phones don't get service up her."
"You can order it to Aika-senpai, ain't she your classmates?" I said. "She's the daughter of the old man."
"She is? I didn't know about that!" Chie-senpai joyfully said. "C'mon Yukiko, Saya-chan! Let's order nikudon to Aika-chan!"
"I think I'll pass for now," The glasses girl depressingly said as she walked to second year tents. I don't know what happened but she looks really down about something.
"C'mon Yukiko, let's order nikudon for all of them to Aika-chan," Chie-senpai said as they walk around to look for Aika-senpai.
"Oh yeah, where're Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai?" I asked.
"They just went to health association's stand to ask for some stomach medicine," Yuki-senpai answered.
"Oh yeah Kanji, can you look for them for us?" Chie-senpai asked. "Tell them to meet us over there if they want something to eat." She said as she pointed at somewhere behind the second year's camp where we are supposed to pick up trash later.
"Okay! Leave it to me!" I boldly said. "Oh yeah Chie-senpai, please order two bowl for me too okay!"
And so I go to the health association's stand to look for Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai. When I'm only way there, I can see Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai walked toward me so I called out for them. Yuu-senpai seems to have trouble walking so Yosuke-senpai's lend his shoulder. I wonder what kinda thing that can cause Yuu-senpai to be like that.
"Hey senpai! Chie-senpai said you guys should meet her if you want something to eat," I said as I approached them.
"Seriously? Where?!" Yosuke-senpai vigorously asked.
"C'mon, I'll get you there," I said as we walk together to the spot Chie-senpai pointed.
"Anyway why do you guys need stomach medicine?" I asked.
"You don't want to know," Yosuke-senpai cynically answered. "Listen here Kanji, hand-made cooking doesn't always as great as we guys think." I don't even know what the hell he mean by that so I just kept quiet after that. Looked like they're suffering a lot.
And so we reached the place Chie-senpai pointed. We can see Aika-senpai has arrived with our orders. I can see Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai really grateful.
"Thank you," Aika-senpai said. "Please leave the bowls here."
"I'm still amazed you found us out here," Yuki-senpai said.
"We might order dinner from you too Aika-chan," Chie-senpai added.
"Thank you again," Aika-senpai calmly said as she left us.
"Oh nice! You guys order delivery!" Yosuke-senpai cheerfully said. "Didn't expect you guys to be so thoughtful!"
"What's that suppose to mean?!" Chie-senpai yelled.
"Now now, let's just eat," Yuu-senpai calmly said. I can see he's really starving. Well, I'm pretty starving myself since I had just a little curry earlier.
"Yeah, let finish up before King Moron finds us," Yuki-senpai said.
Just as I finished my first bowl and wanted to start my second bowl, everyone else had finished eating except for Chie-senpai who already started her second bowl. But suddenly Yuu-senpai ask me.
"Kanji, do you know Konishi Naoki?" He asked.
"Sure I know him," I answered. "We're childhood friends."
"For real?" Yosuke-senpai seems really surprised.
"We hung out a lot back in grade school," I explained. "But we haven't talked much lately."
"Is it true he's always being left out?" Yosuke-senpai eagerly asked.
"Dunno," I nonchalantly answered.
"Don't you 'dunno' me!" Yosuke-senpai yelled. "This is important!"
"I really don't know," I explained. "We're in different class."
"Man, you're no use at all," Yosuke-senpai said. Man, that somehow pissed me off.
"Huh?! Man, you're pain in the ass." I said as I left my nikudon to get Naoki.
If I remember right, he's a part of health association student so he should be in health association's stand. When I get there, I'm surpised to see there's only Naoki in there. He has a smaller body thab me, a wavy, slicked-back light brown hair, gray eyes, and a sharp nose. He's also wearing our school's gym uniform, like all of us. Although we're basically neighbor and childhood friend from grade school, we haven't talk in a long time. Even though we entered the same middle school, I got in a lot of fights because of my appearance and attitude so it's only natural for him to stay away from me, beside I think his family store is real busy at that time so he had to help out a lot. And now once we entered high school, his older sister became the victim of a serial killer that I and my senpai chase. I imagine he must have a lot of things on his head. To be honest I don't really know how to approach him now, but maybe by bringing him to my senpai, they can make him a little better, just like they did to me. So I decided to just approach him like I used to.
"Oy Naoki!" I yelled out to him.
"Huh? Kan-chan? What are you doing here?"He asked. "Need some medicine?"
"Stop calling me that!" I yelled again. "Anyway come with me," I said as I dragged him out of the stand.
"Hey where are we going?" Naoki anxiously asked. "I need to stay here, no one else around!"
"Just shut up and follow me." I said. After that he didn't say a word and we walk to where my senpai is. It looked like all of them had finished their nikudon.
"Here he is," I said as I handed Naoki to my senpai. I think he must be kinda scared since we've never talk to each other before and now I treat him like this.
"Wh-What's going on here?" He nervously said.
"If you want to learn more about him," I said. "Just ask him directly."
"But that wasn't the problem," Yosuke-senpai restlessly said.
"Are you being left out in class?" Suddenly Yuu-senpai nonchalantly asked. All of us were shocked by that direct and straight question, including Naoki himself.
"That's the first time someone's asked me that straight to my face," Naoki calmly said. "It's actually refreshing for a change," he said. I can see him made a little smile on his face. As expected of my senpai, he really can make Naoki feel better, even a little.
"It's true," he said. "To be honest I feel left out."
"It's like everyone's staring at me from a distance," he explained. "They're always babying me." So Naoki's kinda in the same situation as me, but for different reason. I guess everyone have their own isuues. That's it, I think I will come see him from time to time from now on, that's what senpai's gonna do.
"Have you been skipping school a lot?" Yuu-senpai asked once again.
"Yeah, I have to help my family with a lot of things," Naoki answered.
"I know how you feel," Yuki-senpai said. "I have to do the same thing."
"Lately my neighbors have been coming to take my shifts," Naoki added. "They told me to live my life to the fullest for my sister and the start crying."
"It's really suffocating," he furiously said.
"You can have it if you want," Yuu-senpai said while handing him my nikudon. What the hell is he doing?! That's my second!
"Is this Aiya's nikudon?" He asked. "Are you sure? This is my favorite." He cheerfully said and took it. That's it, I'm not gonna give my food.
"Hey Naoki! That's second!" I furiously said as I charged to him, but Yuki-senpai, Chie-senpai, and Yosuke-senpai tried to stopped me.
"Just deal with it Kanji!" Yosuke-senpai said.
"Hey you punk! You owe me!" I yelled out to Naoki.
After a while I managed to calm down and have a little chat with all of them, including Naoki. We can hear King Moron screaming saying lunch break's over so we decided to go back our tents to take up trash around the mountain in the afternoon, we also have to pick up lots of dry wood to make a big ass camp fire in the evening. On the way to first year's tent, Naoki said one thing to me, "Thank you Kan-chan," with a big smile on his face. I guess I'll let it go for now. I feel a bit realived that I can help my childhood friend, even a little.
17th June 2011. Friday. Evening.
Camp fire's already done. It's already sleeping time. Almost all tents are dark and quiet. Well, not so much different whenever I'm around other students, but still I feel really uncomfortable staying and sleeping with my teammates in our tents with Ryouta's almost always quiet and Kakeru, who seems can't shut up. After lying around for a while, both of them seem already asleep but I can sleep at all. I try to close my eyes for about 15 minutes, I still can't asleep. That's it, I'm going to Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai's tent. Maybe if I'm around someone I'm comfortable with, I can get fast asleep. But I need to be careful not to get caught, especially by King Moron. He did say I'll immediately get expelled if I cause any trouble.
I sneak out of my tent, watching outside in case there's a teacher patrolling. Looks like there's no teacher around, so I crawl my way to senpai's tent in the second year's tents area. I know where both Yu-senpai and Yuki-senpai's tent is because I've been there to hang out during dinner break. I remember Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai is in one group, along with a guy with really sloppy way of wearing clothes. Well if he's a friend of Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai, he can't be a bad guy. Once I reach Yuu-senpai's tent, the light already out. But I'm not gonna give up after reaching this far so I decide to call out for them silently in front of their tent.
"Senpai! Senpai!" I quietly said in front of the tent. "Open up please!"
"Kanji? It that you?" Yosuke-senpai sounded surprise to heard my voice outside of their tent at this hour. "What're you doing here?"
"I can't sleep," I said. "Please let me in." Yosuke-senpai then opened up their tent to let me in.
"You guys can't asleep as well?" I asked once I'm inside their tent.
"Yeah, our stomach still aches," Yuu-senpai explained. "The other guy looked like he can't take it so he had to left early."
"But with this guy, I don't know if it's really that bad or he's just pretending to get home early," Yosuke-senpai added.
"Anyways why do you come here in the first place?" Yosuke-senpai asked.
"It's way too comfortable in my tent," I explained. "It's like someone died there."
"I can't sleep in place like that!" I added.
"Alright alright, you can sleep here with us," Yosuke-senpai anxiously said.
"Hey wasn't your homeroom teacher King Moron?" I asked.
"Yeah, we were so lucky to have him as our homeroom teacher," Yosuke-senpai said.
"That guy called out to me during lunch break earlier," I said. "He's talking shit about when I was in middle school, when he doesn't know shit about any of that beside from rumors."
"He was also bullshiting about how I'll be immediately expelled if I cause any trouble," I added. "The dickhead's a teacher for God's sake."
"Yeah, that guy's set a speed record for jumping to conclusions," Yosuke-senpai said.
"Yesterday I also heard from my classmates he was talking shit about the two girls who died," I said.
"I can just picture him what he's saying," Yosuke-senpai said as he let out a sigh.
"He never shut up about me either when I moved here last year," Yosuke-senpai said. "This guy here become his last target in our class last month."
"Oh yeah, that reminds me," I eagerly said. "I also heard you actually stood up against that dickhead Yuu-senpai."
"Is that true?" I asked.
"Well, yeah, kind of." Yuu-senpai nervously answered.
"Woah! You're amazing Yuu-senpai!" I enthusiastically said.
"Alright that's enough of that," Yuu-senpai calmly said. "Let's just try to go to sleep for now."
After hearing what Yuu-senpai said we try to go to sleep. I take the other guy's position between the two of them. We lie next to each other inside a tent. For some reason, I can see both of them are somewhat uneasy. After closing my eyes for a while, Yosuke-senpai suddenly ask me.
"So Kanji, do you really swing that way?" He nervously asked.
"That way?" I asked back since I don't know what's he's talking about.
"Considering our situation, I want you to be honest with us okay," Yosuke-senpai said nervously.
"Sure," I said. "What the hell are you talking about anyway?"
"Is our chastity in danger?" Yuu-senpai calmly asked.
"Wha-What the hell?!" I said in panic. "I'm not like that!"
"Well maybe my other self kinda is, but I'm not!" I yelled my lung out. "I'm fine with girls now!"
"See you admit it yourself!" Yosuke-senpai said in panic.
"I still don't fully trust you, you know?" Yuu-senpai said.
"Didn't you accept me senpai?" I asked.
"Not at night, I'm not," Yuu-senpai composedly said.
"Fine then!" I vigorously said. "I'll hit the girls tent right now! I'll prove I'm a man!"
"Great, go on!" Yuu-senpai said.
And then I run at top speed out of their tent. Without much thinking, I run toward Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai's tent. I tried to open the tent but I can't. After some time trying, the tent suddenly opened. A moment later, I can hear Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai screaming along with a foot that kicked my crotch, followed by another kick to my stomach, and finally a punch to my nose. That make me fall unconscious in Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai's tent.
18th June 2011. Saturday. Morning.
I open my eyes. I'm alone inside a tent. I'm still not sure on what exactly happened last night, but when I open the tent, I'm in Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai's tent. If I remember right, I'm supposed to be in Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai's tent after getting knocked out by all the kicks and a punch to my nose. My body feel stiff and I still feel pain in my crotch and my nose. Was it just a dream?
I try to remember what exactly happen last night inside the tent for about 15 minutes, but it's no use. I can't really remember any of it but my body feel really stiff. Even if I remember a little, I can't be sure what's a dream and what's not so I decided to go to my team's tent since we're suppose to break down the tent this morning after breakfast and go home. When I'm about to go out the tent, I can see Yuu-senpai coming toward me while holding a bowl.
"So you're already awake Kanji," Yuu-senpai said. "Here, have a breakfast." He said as he handed me the bowl, it was Aiya's nikudon.
"Thanks senpai," I said.
"Yosuke and the others are breaking down the girls' tent right now," he said. "After that we're breaking down this tent down as well."
"We're planning to hang out in the river over there after we're dismissed," he added. "You're more than welcome to join us if you want."
"Yeah I'll do that," I gratefully said.
"Alright then, I'll go join the others now," Yuu-senpai said as he left me to join the others.
After that I finished eating in a moment and go to my team's tent to help them. Once I'm in my tent, they just finished breakfast and there's one plate of curry for me. Kakeru hand it over to me.
"Hey Kanji-kun, where have you been?" He asked. "Here, have something to eat."
"Well, alotta things happened," I said. "And thanks." I said as I took on the plate and ate it.
"Well, after Kanji-kun finished eating let's break down our tents and go home!" Kakeru joyfully said.
My team silently wait for me eating. After I finished, the girls are doing the cleaning inside and outside the tent while the guys are breaking them down. Other students are also doing what we're doing. We finished in about 30 minutes to make the place we used for our camping trip is in the same or even better shape than yesterday, before we use it. After we're done cleaning up, we're dismissed. All of my other student go straight home, but I'm going to the river to meet my senpai, even though my body's still feeling stiff. Once I get there, I can see them standing in the riverside. It looks like they just arrive themselves, with no one else around.
"Oh Kanji, you're here," Yuki-senpai said.
"Yo, so what're we doing here?" I asked.
"Alright then, since we're all here, let's go swimming!" Yosuke-senpai cheerfully asked while staring at Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai.
"Eh? I'll pass," I idly said. "I dunno why, but I'm way too tired."
"Oh c'mon! It won't be any fun if I swam alone," Yosuke-senpai said, while still staring intently at Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai.
"Hey what at you looking at?" Chie-senpai annoyedly said. "If you wanna swin, go right ahead!" I can see Yuki-senpai is putting annoyed face too.
"You know, you two still owe us," Yosuke-senpai slyly said. I have no idea what he's talking about.
"Well, you're right." Chie-senpai nervously said. "Oh yeah! We didn't bring our swimsuit, right Yukiko?"
"That's right!" Yuki-senpai eagerly answered. "It really is unfortunate."
"It'd be no problem if I just had a swimsuit," Chie-senpai happily said.
"Here you go! I got you covered!" Yosuke-senpai proudly said as he showed the girls two rather exposed swimsuits, one with white and pink colored, the other with yellow and green colored. "They're Junes original brand! Just in for the summer season!"
"Is that what you went to get when we were shopping?" Yuu-senpai seemed surprised.
"Dude, that's messed up!" I dispiritedly said.
"What should we do Yukiko?" Both Yuki-senpai and Chie looked really nervous.
"'It'd be no problem if I just had a swimsuit'," Yosuke-senpai mimicking what Chie-senpai said.
"Urgh, we get it already!" Chie-senpai frustratedly said as she took the two swimsuit from Yosuke-senpai's hand. "Sheesh, you just never let things go!"
"C'mon Yukiko!" She added as she took Yuki-senpai's hand somewhere to get change.
"Alright! That's more like it!" Yosuke-senpai cheerfully said. They soon change into their swimsuit as well. I don't plan on swimming so I just wait for them there. After a while, Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai come back.
"Sure you won't join us Kanji?" Yosuke-senpai asked.
"Yeah, I'm all stiff," I answered.
"Hey senpai, thanks for what you did to Naoki," I calmly said.
"Yeah, I'm glad we can help him," Yosuke-senpai said.
"Please tell him he's welcomed to join us if he want," Yuu-senpai added.
"Yeah sure!" I said with a smile.
"Still, they're taking forever!" Yosuke-senpai impatiently said. "How far out did they go just to change?" As soon as he said that, we can see Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai in their swinsuit. I just realized now, they're damn hot! We can't help but staring at them. We're a guy after all.
"What are you guys doing?!" Chie-senpai yelled. "Quit staring and just jump into the river!"
"You two look great," Yuu-senpai calmly said.
"Whoa man! Really, you're hotter than I imagine," Yosuke-senpai joyfully said. "You might be still childish on the inside, but I bet you'd turn into some fine-looking women one day!"
"You guys really crossed the line," Chie-senpai furiously said.
"Definitely," Yuki-senpai also looked really mad. I don't think I've seen them this mad before. The next thing I know Yuki-senpai and Chie-senpai push both Yuu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai into the river. I can see Yosuke-senpai smiling despite being pushed into the river.
"They brought this on themselves," Chie-senpai annoyedly said. "Aren't they the worst, Kanji?"
"Hey Kanji, you've been awful quiet. Are you okay?" She asked. "Don't tell me the injuries from last night are still..."
"Huh?" I said as I turn my head toward Chie-senpai and Yuki-senpai.
"Eh?! Kanji?!" Yuki-senpai screamed. A moment later she also push me into the river. It turned out blood are coming out of my nose. What's this?! Chie-senpai mentioned my injuries, does this mean everything I remember from last night wasn't a dream?
"What was that for?!" I yelled. "I didn't do anything!"
"Serve you right!" Chie-senpai said while laughing. "Let's go Yukiko." Chie-senpai hold Yuki-senpai's hand and jump into the river to join us. My shirt is all wet because I didn't change into swimsuit but we're having fun in the river for a while before we can hear a heaving sound from upstream. We also see there's something like thick liquid form that smells like sake.
"Hey what's that?" Chie-senpai asked.
"Let me take a look," Yuki-senpai said as she got up and see the upstream river.
"Ew Chie, get out of the river quickly," she immediately screamed the moment she saw what's on the upstream. "It's King Moron!"
!
After hearing what Yuki-senpai said, we all instantly get out of the river. We immediately go take out bag to get home without saying anything to take a bath, maybe a million bath. I'm not sure even that many baths will clean us.
Author's Note:
In this chapter, there're 3 "new" characters in Kanji's group; Akagi Erika, Sugawa Kyouko and Harada Aiko.
Akagi Erika is basically a very nice and kind girl. That's why she's popular among both guys and girls from first grade, especially her class. She wanted to joined Kanji and Ryouta's group because she doesn't want both of them to feel left out. She did this also in effort to change herself from your typical introvert in middle school into more cheerful one.
Sugawa Kyouko and Harada Aiko are you typical class' bitch. They skipped class quite often and doesn't really want people to see them around Kanji, the infamous yankee since that will give them a bad reputation. Kyouko did the thing she did because she felt bored of life and looking for something exciting she can think of while Aiko's basically just following her.
Kanji in this chapter still can't open himself up to other people other than Yuu and friends because despite him accepting his own shadow, he can feel the fear of rejection by others. That's why he only being "nice" and open up himself to Yuu and friend while still "rejecting" other people because he's afraid of getting rejected even though there're people like Kakeru and Erika who's willing to accept him.