4
Tests really took up a lot of time, both in the preparation, taking them, and the drain of energy afterward. Rika didn't feel much like doing anything, including indulging in her hobby. That was when Satoko's 'trash' novel had seemed somewhat appealing. If it was indeed as she described, perhaps it was something that could be enjoyed without expending too much mental energy.
From the first few chapters, that seemed to be the case. It gave a sense of pleasant atmosphere without introducing any kind of complicated plot or anything heavy in the least. Reading more absorbed the reader into the light tale and even gave a sense of calm with the easy-going interactions of the characters, that was, until she got to a certain part of the story.
Rika sat up as she realized the direction it was going. Reading forward confirmed initial suspicions. This wasn't just an easy-going story of school life, but a romance between two girls. After feeling numb at the various possible implications, Rika realized she loved it and just wanted to finish. Staying up late, even after her roommate, she did so, feeling happy for the lovely, romantic ending for the characters.
It was only as she lay in her bed that she considered things further. She was being made fun of, most likely. Though not saying so directly, she'd heavily implied she'd like to be in that kind of situation. The novel exchange hadn't been in hopes of anything genuine in the first place, not that any kind of sincerity had ever been expected.
Rika wouldn't give the kind of response desired by this bully version of Satoko. No shame would be shown. The next day, the novel was dropped on Satoko's desk in plain sight for all of her friends to see. "Thank you for loaning me such a wonderful book," Rika said.
"Oh, so you've finished already?" Satoko replied calmly, easily putting the returned item into her bag.
"I read every word," Rika declared blankly.
"Would you like to discuss it later, then?" Satoko asked, reading the message on the blackboard as if nothing were amiss.
"Why not now?" Rika challenged.
"Well, class is about to begin," Satoko pointed out.
Indeed, the teacher was entering. Rika hustled back to her desk and got ready for the lesson. Of course, concentration was lacking. Why would Satoko act so calm? Had she really read the book herself? What might she say, given the assertion that Rika had? These questions and more kept running through her mind instead of giving all needed attention to her lessons.
Rika made sure not to look her way during the day, even when hearing some murmuring. Satoko was easily avoided during lunch. At the end of the day, everything was quickly packed up, and she decided to be on her way. Rika would close herself up in her dormitory rather than deal with, well, anything Satoko and the rest might have planned.
No such luck. "Hey!" Satoko shouted loudly after her, catching the attention of not just Rika but others around them. "Excuse me," Satoko lowered her voice as she tried to speak more politely, approaching the now stationary Rika.
Rika had looked her way by reflex, but with that visual admission of her attention as well as the witness of the crowd, it seemed there would be no easy escape by pretending to not notice her. "Good afternoon," Rika said.
"You've got nothing going on, right?" Satoko declared. "We can chat about the books now, right? Maybe it'll start our Neo-Literary, Trash Readers Club." Satoko's friend giggled next to her. Rika took a step away, only wanting less to be deal with people given this kind of attitude. "You'll join us?" Satoko asked her amused friend.
"I actually do have stuff to do," the friend said. "A supplementary class because of my test scores. Maybe next time."
"Right. See you," Satoko said, casually waving to the girl as she left before turning to Rika. "I suppose this get together will just be us, won't it?"
Despite how annoyed she'd felt before, Rika decided she didn't want to reject that kind of invitation. They ended up in the front of the dormitory, others walking by. "Are you sure you want to discuss things here?" Rika asked as their classmates were far enough away, though others could soon enter.
"Right. You're shy, aren't you?" Satoko said.
Rika's face grew hot, but she eventually shook her head. "I just like to keep some things discreet... You know..." Despite wanting to diffuse the embarrassment, her face only got more hot after she'd spoken.
Satoko laughed. "It's fine. Don't worry so much. People don't listen as much as you think. Everyone's just passing by."
Rika nodded quietly.
"Sorry," Satoko said with a sigh. "Before, I may have I found it easy to tease you because I thought you wouldn't fight back. You showed me." Satoko tittered as she met eyes with Rika.
She showed her, by handing her the book in front of everyone that day? No... Rika realized she'd been referring to the incident with the chair.
"You annoyed me, but I didn't know you that well back then," Satoko continued, the context of her words confirming the suspicion. "Maybe we can get along better now, get to know each other truly as classmates." Satoko paused only briefly. "Anyway, let's discuss the books, shall we? We'll start with mine!"
Rika glanced around the lobby, indeed seeing people coming and going. Was Satoko expecting to embarrass her like this?
"I thought the romance between the two main characters seemed too perfect," Satoko began with a sigh, leaning her hand on her knees. "It just wasn't complicated enough. It was readable enough that I finished it, but otherwise bland and unexciting."
"It was exciting enough!" Rika insisted, standing up. Two classmates looked their way upon passing. Satoko just waved their way before they continued, then turned to Rika.
"I don't agree," Satoko continued as the passers-by went down the hall. "The two got together expectedly enough, no drama or tension at all. Wouldn't you prefer a little spice?"
"What would 'spice' look like, anyway?" Rika asked.
Satoko shrugged. "I mean, maybe I could find a better example of what I like. Not that I didn't like the one you just returned. There's just better options out there."
"Better romances between girls?" Rika challenged, not willing to show any kind of shame.
Satoko laughed. "That's harder to find, isn't it? I admit that specific is why I picked that particular book to lend to you."
Rika was again sure she was blushing, and fought to act like she wasn't, pouting only briefly before she tried to maintain a sort of deadpan expression.
Satoko stood up and stretched, taking a look at the literary club's notice nearby the door. "We could make something like this. If you really wanted to continue, that is." As Satoko paused, Rika said nothing, determined not to fuel the other girl's amusement. "Any other thoughts on my pick?"
"None," Rika said curtly.
"Good, then we can move on to your book."
Rika turned down the hall, observing their various schoolmates chatting while going in and out of their dorm rooms. What would be a good excuse to leave and join them? Satoko couldn't possibly have anything interesting to say about that boring foreign novel. The awkward translation made it almost unreadable. The story itself didn't seem that engaging otherwise.
"What an ending!" Satoko said with a sigh. "I wasn't expecting it at all. Why kill off so many characters? And then no solution? I think I know the culprit anyway."
Pointed confusion followed Satoko's critique. Did the lent novel really contain those kinds of twists? Well, it seemed like there might have been some kind of interstellar war building up. Maybe things really had turned interesting later. Satoko seemed enthusiastic enough.
"It's Keiichi-san, isn't it?"
Rika choked on a gasp before coughing. That name, this person shouldn't even know it, let alone be speaking it right then, years after they'd left Hinamizawa. Of course, she couldn't be too surprised, there was only one logical solution. "You said you hadn't read my notebook," Rika declared.
"Hm?" Satoko blinked. "I don't recall saying that at all."
Right, Satoko had just said the others said she should, as they might not have the patience. The implications that privacy had been respected, especially without the direct confession it had been violated, were obvious though. "I think I lent you a book about the wonders of space colonization," she said.
"Oh, right, that thing," Satoko said. "That wasn't interesting at all, so I didn't finish it. I lost the book... I'll look for it later. Anyway, I thought we'd discuss what you actually wrote instead. That I did read." She grinned as she spoke, then continued as Rika didn't reply. "You're the writer, so you can tell me, it's Keiichi-san, right? He was just hallucinating and killed everyone. It was interesting how it was portrayed. A little sad, too. But he's like the 'detective' in a way, isn't he? Isn't that consider uncouth in mysteries?"
"You don't understand the wider picture," Rika insisted.
"If you didn't get across your point, isn't that on you as the one who wrote it? Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but it needs work. I didn't even mention, how interesting you named characters after us and others from Hinamizawa!"
So she had noticed the obvious. It would be a difficult detail to miss. Despite Keiichi's point of view being the one most often seen, the names of those more familiar to even this Satoko were all over the story, including the name of Satoko herself. "Satoko isn't you," Rika declared blankly.
"I know," Satoko said.
Rika blinked back tears at Satoko all too casually accepting that declaration with a shrug. The 'Rika' of the worlds painted in the notebooks wasn't supposed to be the current Rika either, despite the connection that was still felt.
"It's fiction, right?" Satoko suggested. "I guess it's easier to use names and places you already know than think of new ones. I'm not offended."
"Keiichi isn't the culprit," Rika declared. "Keiichi is an inspiration, a savior."
"Oh? How passionate you are about it all. But I still don't really see where you're getting that from based on what I read."
"It doesn't matter, I suppose," Rika said, standing up. "Is that all, then?" she asked.
"Well, you must be as busy as I am with schoolwork. Maybe we can chat more at lunch!" Satoko suggested.
"Perhaps," Rika snapped as she looked back, but then started down the hall without any additional salutations. Just because one of the current schoolmates resembled a desired person, piece of a desired reality, didn't mean that attention needed to be expended on her. Getting to the dormitory, Rika closed the door, firmly though not loudly. After absorbing herself in the reality of being a student in a prestigious school who had to work to keep up, an unreality appeared.
"Ange..." Rika simply said the entity's name, gripping tightly to the dull pencil she'd been using for her assignments. The witch apparently didn't have much to say. "I wonder whose suffering is worse in this accursed school..." she muttered.
"Oh?" Ange blinked. "Who's suffering here at all?"
"You did, didn't you?" Rika asked. "It was the worst place in the world, isolating you from any real companionship before ostracizing you. I can't think of a more pitiable existence."
"Hmph." Ange gave a half-laugh before continuing in a deadpan tone, "You imagine someone had a difficult time here about a decade from now? Or maybe a few years earlier? How about now? Who's suffering that badly in front of you now? Certainly not you."
"What do you mean?" Rika swung her head toward the witch who hid in the shadows of the dimly-lit room. "I'm also ostracized, without companions, completely isolated in this school, no, this entire world."
The aloof witch who claimed to have granted a 'wish' only responded with more cruelty in the form of silence. When the response was already accepted and Rika turned her attention back toward her assignment, Ange finally spoke again.
"I wonder what kind of cruel witch put you there."