Chapter 15: Wilting Flowers
A sword that cannot be unsheathed is no sword at all.
A starless night sky, covered by a blanket of indigo that stretched toward the ends of the earth. The cool, pleasant breeze of the transition between spring and summer. The stronger, lapping tides under the influence of the moon. The feeling of my arms resting on the cold, metal fence.
Witnessing something like this was a privilege, even if there were no stars.
"I'm sorry for calling you out so late, Ayanokōji-kun."
"You don't need to be. It was my idea to meet here, after all. So what do you need, Karuizawa?"
The blonde girl twiddled her thumbs, "Well, I just wanted to ask you something. So… I wanted to ask you about Yōsuke-kun."
"Why ask me? We're not that close."
"But Yōsuke-kun said that he trusted you. So…" Karuizawa looked at me, "Well, recently I noticed that he hasn't been acting normal."
"Why do you say that?"
"He smiles in class and does everything normally, but he locks up in his room after class nowadays," she looked down, her arms crossed, "We don't go out on dates a lot anymore. I mean, we went on one the other day, but…"
So Hirata hadn't fully healed from the expulsion of the two Class D students. It wasn't surprising.
"And he doesn't talk to you about it?"
"Well, it's more like I haven't asked him," Karuizawa said impatiently, tapping her foot.
"But he's your boyfriend, right?"
Karuizawa's blue eyes widened, and she took a step back.
"Huh? What do you mean?" she glared at me, her hands on her hips, "Obviously he's my boyfriend, but it's not like he tells me everything," she said indignantly. "Anyone would get that. I just came here to talk to you because I thought you might know something."
Going by her reaction, Karuizawa and Hirata's dynamic was more complicated than it seemed. Perhaps they were a couple only on the surface. In fact, only recently had Karuizawa begun calling Hirata by his first name, and showing affection. However, it didn't seem genuine.
One possibility was that they were in a fake relationship. But, with the limited information I had, I was unable to confirm that.
"Well, sorry. I don't know a lot about Yōsuke. There's nothing I can do."
"W-Wait!" Karuizawa grabbed ahold of my arm as I turned. "Please, isn't there something you could do? I mean, you know him well, right?"
Karuizawa's statements about Hirata corroborated with my own information of his lack of social outings recently. Perhaps Hirata was really holing up in his room and blaming himself for the loss of his classmates. Even if he couldn't have done anything to prevent it in the first place.
I had done a hasty job of gluing the shattered shards back together. Now, he was descending back into the nadir.
"…Well… I suppose I could do something."
"Thank you!"
On the verge of tears, she wrapped me in her embrace, burying her face in my chest.
"Thank you, Ayanokōji-kun," she said, looking up at me, "I was just so worried for Yōsuke-kun, you know? It's a girlfriend's duty to be worried about her boyfriend's strange behavior."
"Like I said, I'll see what I can do."
"Here, let's exchange contact information," Karuizawa proposed, taking out her phone. "That way, you and I can keep each other updated on things."
Once we exchanged our phone numbers, the blonde girl smiled and bid farewell.
"Thank you, Ayanokōji-kun! See you tomorrow!"
She rushed off, probably because it was already suspicious to meet with a boy at a time that was near curfew. She also had a boyfriend, so if anyone saw us, it might spark rumors that she was cheating on him.
There had been a flower that I was eyeing, just a few feet away. I didn't know the name of this particular flower. It wasn't any normal flower, full of vibrant love and joy.
The petals, which must have been a lively shade of crimson or violet, were now faded and curling inward, their edges browned and brittle. The flower's stem, once proud and upright, had bent under its own weight, drooping as if burdened by an unseen sorrow. The leaves, speckled with spots of decay, clung weakly to the stem, their once lush green now a sickly yellow. It was wilted.
Perhaps it was the opposite of a moonflower. But the reason it had wilted was probably because of neglect, and the lack of sunlight, as it lived underneath a larger tree, forever overshadowed by its parent.
I bent down, attempting to get a closer look.
"Um… Ayanokōji-kun?"
A meek voice. A pink-haired girl greeted me nervously—Sakura Airi.
"Sakura. Are you doing okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm doing fine. I just wanted to come to thank you for what happened yesterday. Um!" With what seemed like a tremendous amount of effort, she enclosed my hand with both of hers.
"Thank you, Ayanokōji-kun. I mean it. You saved me."
"And you're doing better, now?"
"Yeah. I just finished a session with the school therapist, actually," she smiled. She looked nothing like the girl I had seen yesterday.
"That's good that you're feeling better, Sakura."
"Mhm."
"Also, I wanted to ask you something. What were you doing with him in the first place?"
As if she had just been struck, Sakura flinched backward, letting go of my hand. She tripped, and I grabbed her outstretched hand to prevent her from falling onto the ground.
"Are you okay?"
"A-Ah, yes. It seems like I should thank you for saving me again!" Sakura managed an awkward laugh at her own joke.
The problem was that I couldn't laugh, so this situation was painfully awkward. Neither of us was a social elite. Someone like Kushida would probably have an aneurysm watching this conversation.
"So, about your question. Um… ah, well, how do I put this…" Sakura fumbled around for words while I patiently listened.
"I'm actually an… idol…? W-Well, I was one before coming to this school, and that guy was a fan of mine and I stopped being an idol after getting to the school, but he found out about me being at this school because he works at the digital camera shop and spotted me while I was purchasing something, and so he started sending me a bunch of love letters nonstop, so I met with him because I wanted him to stop and then that happened—" Sakura dumped everything out in one sentence. At the end, she was breathing heavily.
"Somehow, you aren't that surprised…"
"It's just my facial expression. Believe me, I'm very surprised. I hope you don't get into that kind of trouble again."
"N-No, I won't! I promise! Um, also, I heard your conversation with Karuizawa-san about Hirata-kun. S-So, if I can do anything to help…! Unless I wasn't meant to hear that…"
"No, don't worry about it. I appreciate it, though."
"Wasn't Karuizawa-san's behavior a little strange, though?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, she seemed like she really wanted to touch you… when I came, she was already there and talking to you and I didn't hear everything but…"
"The truth is that Karuizawa wanted to meet as soon as possible, and this was the only discreet place that we could do it since she's always out with friends. I didn't mean to intrude on your time, honestly. I just didn't think it would take that long, but Karuizawa was persistent."
"I know!" Sakura bit her lip and clenched her fist. "I don't know, but she's always the loudest one in class, and her voice even travels to my seat. I prefer Kushida-san, honestly… b-but it's not like Karuizawa-san is a bad person or anything!" the pink-haired girl quickly put her hands up.
"I-I have nothing against her. It's like… she's just… kind of loud. A-And I feel like she can't read the mood, you know. She's just really insistent and gets whatever she wants. Today, I just wanted to talk to you and thank you for what you did the other day, but she interrupted…"
"Mhm," I nodded. "I understand what you're saying. She's not the most likable person. Sometimes, you want to knock people like that down a peg or two."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, it's pretty satisfying, and it also helps them, you know? I mean, do something in a way where they're forced to see the reality of the situation. That way, they're less likely to act like that again, and it also stops their high-horse act."
"I… see," Sakura's blue eyes seemed intensely focused on this new idea. "So what you mean is, like carrying out justice to stop someone from acting arrogant, which also helps them in the process? And that's a good thing, right?"
"Of course. I mean, think about it. If Karuizawa was less arrogant, then she'd be a lot more popular. Right now, she's known among the girls as kind of domineering and a bully. Correct me if I'm wrong."
"N-No, you're completely right. Actually… even though Karuizawa-san is a leader like Kushida-san, all the girls actually like Kushida-san better, at least I think that's how it is…"
"And someone like Karuizawa is dating Hirata. The two of them are polar opposites, right?"
"R-Right! I get it now, Ayanokōji-kun. Karuizawa-san doesn't deserve Hirata-kun. S-So what are you planning to do?"
"Me? Nothing, for now."
"H-Huh? What do you mean? But didn't Karuizawa-san come to ask you to help Hirata-kun?"
"That's true. But Hirata and Karuizawa… relationships like that, built on polar opposite personalities, they usually don't work in the first place, and even if they do, they never last long. That's why we just need to be patient and find the right opportunity, you see."
"I-I don't get it. But I trust you, Ayanokōji-kun. I'll definitely help you! I owe you because of what happened. If it weren't for you, I… I might have dropped out of the school. I don't know."
"It's no use to think about things that could have happened in the past. What matters more is the future. You're doing well now, so you shouldn't think about those things."
"Ah, right! As always, Ayanokōji-kun gives good advice."
"Hm? When have I given advice to you?"
"W-Well I just heard some people talking about it, I guess. Mostly Sudō-kun and some of the other boys."
'Some of the other boys'? Was she talking about Okitani or Sotomura?
"Anyway, so I get what you're saying. You want to help Hirata-kun and Karuizawa-san at the same time."
I nodded. "I don't want to bother you. I'd rather you focus more on your therapy."
"But I want to help!"
"I know you do. But you should focus on yourself first. If I need anything, I promise I'll come to you. Okay?"
"O-Okay!"
With that, we started to head inside because of curfew.
-o-o-o-
When I arrived at my apartment, a pleasant surprise greeted me.
My white-haired senpai and my blonde-haired classmate stood at the door. With her arms crossed under her bosom, Kikyō was looking at her taller senpai with a dangerous smile, whereas Fūka had her eyes closed, a self-satisfied smirk on her face. She was humming lightly.
"Kiyotaka, you're back."
Kikyō pushed off the wall and clung to my arm, still glaring subtle daggers at Fūka. "Kiyotaka-kun, why is Kiryūin-san here?"
"I'm not sure either."
"He's my roommate."
Although I had tried to swiftly deny the baseless allegations placed against me, Fūka expertly cornered me. As expected of the tigress.
"Huh!? Kiyotaka-kun, is this true?"
"Well…"
"Yes, it is. Let's go, Kiyotaka," Fūka grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into the room.
"W-Wait, the door was already open?"
"Duh." Fūka dangled her keys, that smirk still present on her face.
"Kiyotaka-kun, how does she have your keys?" my blonde-haired classmate asked sweetly.
"…I have no clue, and I would also like to know. Fūka, how do you have the key to my room?"
"Obviously I got a copy of them," she dangled her keys. "The dorm lady downstairs was so nice. What was it she said again? 'Ahh, young love~', something like that."
"Kiryūin-senpai!" Fūka cackled as Kikyō flung herself at her. The two of them began wrestling… on my bed.
There was an eruption and a mess of hair and laughs, most of which sounded like Fūka's. And even though Kikyō was angry, her mask was still on, but she seemed to be having fun.
But Kikyō was no match for her more experienced senpai. Fūka's slender frame managed to flip over Kikyō's smaller, petite one, and she pinned her down with ease.
Of course, for my hormonal, teenage mind, the sight was pretty erotic. Honestly, with how Fūka was performing some… unnecessary motions, it felt like she was teasing me.
Even Lower Kiyotaka agreed.
Thighs, he whispered. However, I could not afford to allow Lower Kiyotaka to corrupt my mind.
"All right ladies, please get off my bed."
"Oh, is Little Kiyotaka getting excited down there?" Fūka grinned, gazing the place where the sun didn't shine. It took Kikyō a second to process it, and then she went bright red.
"Eh?… y-you mean…"
"It's Big Kiyotaka, thank you very much. Now get off my bed."
Fūka rolled off and plopped onto the ground. During that short timespan, Kikyō looked at me intently.
Does she know?
I shook my head. With that, Kikyō finally relaxed.
"Ah, so to answer your question, Fūka is an… infrequent roommate."
"Yes, but starting from now, it's going to be frequent," she corrected instantly.
"Frequent meaning two or three times a week."
"Hmph. I suppose I can settle with that."
"So I can still come, right, Kiyotaka-kun?"
"Yeah."
"I guess it's fine," Kikyō pouted cutely. "But I don't want to see her often."
"Aww, is someone getting jealous?" Fūka zoomed in on her innocent kōhai, grabbing her cheeks.
"Have you two met each other?"
"Huh?"
"It just feels like you're a little friendly."
My blonde-haired classmate pushed my senpai's hands away from her cheeks. "Well, this is only the second time me and this…" Kikyō looked her up and down judgingly, "Vixen have met outside the Student Council."
"I just wanted to track down and meet Kiyotaka-kun's acquaintances, you know?" Fūka shrugged innocently.
I raised an eyebrow. "And who have you talked to?"
"Hmm…" she tapped a finger on her chin, "Maybe just Kikyō-chan here for now, but I want to meet Ichinose-chan! She's really cute, you know? And who knows, she might just steal Kiyotaka-kun here away from you, Kikyō-chan!"
"H-Huh? No way! I mean I'm not interested, and even if I were, she wouldn't win!" Kikyō glared.
"Sure, sure, whatever you say~" Fūka laughed.
What did it feel like to laugh like that? To genuinely enjoy another's company? Every smile, every laugh—it all seemed so effortless. Somehow, it appeared as if Kikyō's mask wasn't fully on. Perhaps Fūka had pushed her buttons so well that Kikyō had forgotten about maintaining it entirely.
No matter how much I watched their banter, and even though it didn't seem far from mine, with the dry humor and the jokes and the appearance of enjoying someone else's company… there was something distinct missing. Something human.
I didn't understand it. I had everything correct. What was missing?
"Anyway, I can brew some tea if you'd like. It's almost curfew, though, so why are you two here?"
"Ah, right. Please brew some tea. Well, it's just that Kiyotaka-kun took so long to get back, so…"
"I'm staying for the night."
"H-Huh?"
For what seemed like the umpteenth time that night, an offended sound left Kikyō's lips.
"Any problems, Kikyō-chan?"
"Of course, there's a problem! You're a girl and he's a boy! That's illegal! It's a school crime, and you might get expelled!" the blonde-haired girl crooked a finger at my platinum-haired senpai.
The tigress smiled conspiratorially. "It's only a crime if you get caught."
Kikyō was appalled. "Kiryūin-san, please don't say such things!"
As I went to the kitchen to brew tea, I continued to hear the sounds of their banter.
Maybe, on the inside, Kikyō was seething at Fūka's interference, but she took solace in being closer to me than Fūka. She knew the kind of terrible, defective human I was at my core, whereas Fūka had not bore witness to it. Not yet, at least.
That was perhaps why Kikyō put up with Fūka and hadn't spoken to me about her during her late-night visits to rant.
I finished brewing the tea and set it aside.
I wrote a note on a small piece of paper, which I had ripped out from a page in my notebook.
Learn how to laugh.
I slipped the note back into my pocket and brought the tea back to the two girls.
"Here you go."
"It's curfew already," Kikyō observed.
"What a shame. We won't be able to go back to our rooms without suffering a reprimand from the school. Looks like we're stuck here with you, Kiyotaka-kun~"
Fūka's wide grin gave away unabashedly that this had been her plan all along. Kikyō frowned.
"Kiryūin-san, we are girls and Kiyotaka-kun is a boy. It wouldn't be proper to stay here for the night, especially when there is only one bedroom."
"Then you can take the couch, and I will take the bed with Kiyotaka-kun," the tigress announced. "I have slept in the same bed as him before, and I'll do it again."
"W-What? The same bed?" Again, Fūka's verbal barrage had my blonde classmate on the verge of becoming a red bucket of paint.
"Then, it's settled, right? After all, Kiyo-kun's bed doesn't have enough space for three. You're the newcomer here, get it, Kikyō-chan?"
"Huh? B-But—"
"Oh, and by the way, please call me Fūka-chan from now on. As your senpai in bed, I feel left out calling you by your first name, you know?"
"Eh? Senpai in bed? No, who said you were my senpai? You'll be the one sleeping on the couch tonight, Kiryūin-san—no, Fūka-chan," Kikyō finished, a brutal retort against the tigress. She sipped her tea, an innocent smile on her face.
At some point during Fūka's teasing, it seemed like Kikyō had grown some fangs.
Fūka replied after taking a sip of her tea. "Kiyotaka-kin, your tea is quite good, by the way. And Kikyō-chan, you certainly are brave, but Fūka-senpai cannot allow you to take her place, you see."
Before they began bickering again, I interrupted.
"It's getting pretty late, ladies. You two can take the bed, I can just sleep on the couch—"
"No," they said in unison.
"Kiyotaka-kun, this is your apartment," Kikyō stated. "You're not going to sleep on the couch."
"That's one thing we can agree on."
"That's why Fūka-senpai can take the couch. Since she is our senpai, she should be more considerate of her kōhais," Kikyō summarized. "Fūka-chan is the one who is intruding on the first-year dormitory. Therefore, she is both in the wrong building and on the boys' floor."
My blonde-haired classmate had a sound argument. It was true that Fūka was not supposed to be in this building at this time. However, no sound argument could dissuade the tigress.
"On the contrary, Kikyō-chan," Fūka smiled. "You arrived after me, signifying that you are the one intruding on the meeting between Kiyotaka-kun and me. Before curfew, there is no rule saying that I cannot be in the first-year dormitory and on the boys' floor. Any preconceived notions of right and wrong can be thrown out of the window—we are both guilty of staying past curfew. Rather, Kikyō-chan is the one who held me up leaving the dormitory building when the time was near curfew."
Ruthlessly, Fūka cornered Kikyō-chan with her argument. My blonde-haired classmate had no evidence to refute the tigress's accusation that Kikyō had prevented her from returning to her dorm. Sure, she could say something like, 'Fūka-chan, you know that isn't true!' or, 'I didn't stop you from going back,' but those words held little weight.
But Kikyō wouldn't go down without a fight.
"Eh? But Fūka-senpai, are you not our senior? A senpai should be a good role model for her kōhais, particularly at this school, where we kōhais might not have adjusted to the rules of the school yet," she said innocently. "That also means that, to a third party, you are primarily the one responsible for our predicament, since you did not warn me in time. In summary, that's why you should be the one sleeping on the couch."
Kikyō was smart in her own right, and the two of them were now in a deadlock.
"Okay," Fūka agreed unexpectedly. But there was a conspiratorial grin on her face. "So you'll be sleeping in Kiyotaka-kun's bed, correct? Planning to do all sorts of naughty things~? You know, I can even watch."
"Fūka-senpai!" Kikyō hurled a pillow at the tigress, who dodged easily.
"You'll have to do more than that to catch me~"
The rest of the night passed quickly without incident. At some point, I placed my small, handwritten note into the wishing well, without either of the girls noticing.
In the end, the three of us slept in the same bed. It was worth noting that if we were three normal humans, the space would have fit. But Kiryūin Fūka disrupted this balance. She occupied the space between the wall and me, pushing Kikyō and me toward what was half of the bed. Fūka pretended like my left arm was a pillow, and snuggled her entire body against it.
Kikyō, on the other hand, was sleeping entirely against my torso, curled up in a fetal position. She was probably the last one to fall asleep, which I could tell due to her erratic heartbeat and breathing.
In the end, we had come to a compromise.
-o-o-o-
"…okay, I'll call you Mii-chan. So, what's the matter?"
"Um… well, I've been trying to talk to Hirata-kun, and, um, I noticed something strange…"
I had simply been passing by an alley when I caught a glimpse of Ayanokōji, who appeared to be talking to a girl from our class. I didn't know her name; honestly, I didn't know half the people's names in our class. We were a class of defects, so why bother?
Although I had been placed in this class, I still contended that the decision was a mistake—an oversight by the so-called most prestigious high school in Japan. I had undoubtedly scored well on the interview and on the paper tests, so why had I been placed in the worst class?
No, I deserved Class A.
"He's been really, really quiet. Normally, he's the one who organizes a lot of trips to the cafe and the mall, and he's always the leader. Right now, he looks fine and seems fine, but he doesn't really, you know, talk to people like he used to!" the girl's—Mii-chan's—voice rose higher toward the end of her sentence, as though she had finally gathered the courage to properly speak.
I wasn't the type to eavesdrop, but this matter concerned our class, so I couldn't help pausing and listening in.
"D-Do you know what's happening to him?"
"I might have an idea."
"Really!?" the girl's eyes sparkled, "Does that mean you can do something about it?"
From what I saw, the indigo-haired girl looked like she was very concerned about Hirata for some reason, more than the other students in our class.
"Yes. But it's not a simple case to solve. Actually, you're the second person who came to me about this. However, Yōsuke's case is a difficult one to handle, because it stems from the expulsion of those two students in our class."
"Y-You mean, those two that got expelled for trying to s-steal c-clothes from the girls' locker room during the pool!?" the indigo-haired girl exclaimed.
"That's right," Ayanokōji nodded, that blank expression ever-present on his face. "He's saddened by their loss but does not condone their actions. He feels responsible for what's happened to them, even though they had it coming."
"B-But they were doing inappropriate things, so I don't get why Hirata-kun feels bad…" the girl muttered.
I shared her confusion. This was just ridiculous. Who did Hirata think he was? Some sort of martyr for Ike and Yamauchi? Perverts like that, who already appeared like they had no academic talent, had no place even among the defects of this school.
Hirata was just too nice. The notion of caring for rotten people like them would ultimately lead to him being hurt in the long run. But he didn't realize this.
Furthermore, it had been several months since the first week of school, and their subsequent expulsion. The fact that Hirata's broken mental state had only resurfaced now was a testament to his inability.
"You're right. But it's better not to be too harsh on Yōsuke. What you see every day is his social ability with everyone in our class. However, being kind and empathetic can also be a double-edged sword. Most people got over those two students' expulsions quickly because they were already outcasts of the class and no one formed truly deep relationships with them. Imagine if it were Kikyō or Yōsuke who were expelled instead."
"We'd all be sad," the indigo-haired girl nodded in understanding. "Then, do you have any ideas, Ayanokōji-kun?"
The old me might have wanted to march over to Hirata's apartment and tell him off myself, but I honestly didn't care anymore. If he wanted to destroy himself, he could, and I wouldn't care.
Kushida served the role of the social butterfly perfectly fine. I just wanted to focus on my studies and graduate from Class A.
"No, nothing comes to mind at the moment. But helping Hirata is crucial. Without him, much of the class would collapse. Even if antisocial people like Horikita and Yukimura don't understand the dynamics thoroughly, they value the importance of Yōsuke's presence."
Just as I was leaving, the mention of my name drew my attention back to the conversation. I pressed myself back against the wall outside the alley. Ayanokōji had unsolicitedly referenced me. Why?
What was so great about Ayanokōji, anyway? Sure, he was good at academics and athletics as well, but that blank, infuriating expression that perpetually sat on his face… it killed any sense of my desire to talk to him about the test results.
"Yōsuke's condition requires fastidious assistance—we need to be careful with him. Keep in mind that Hirata wanted to save those two himself."
"Hirata-kun really is too nice…" the girl murmured, still loud enough so that I could hear her. Did she not know how to keep her voice to a whisper?
"Can you promise you'll think of something, Ayanokōji-kun?!" In a sudden movement, the girl rushed forward, grabbing his right hand and wrapping her hands around it. When he didn't immediately respond, she doubled down.
"Please, Ayanokōji-kun! You have to save Hirata-kun! You're the only one that can do it!"
"Thank you for putting your trust in me, Mii-chan. I'll try my best."
He had effectively denied guaranteeing it, but his words were said in a certain yet emotionless manner which tricked the girl into believing that saving Hirata was certain. But the context of the situation, combined with the indigo-haired girl's irrationality, made for a deadly mixture.
"Thank you so much, Ayanokōji-kun!" nearly in tears, the girl embraced Ayanokōji tightly, as if they were good friends.
She was just trying to convince him to do her own bidding. Perhaps she had a thing for Hirata, and that was why she went straight to Ayanokōji to have him solve her problem. And now she was nearly crying tears of joy because she got what she wanted.
I hated fickle girls like that.
I turned my back on the two students embracing, and left.
-o-o-o-
That was the second report which corroborated Hirata's current mental state. Did I have to take action soon?
However… when things were like this… it was better to let the river run its course, at least until the riverbed was properly eroded.
If this situation was not resolved even after summer vacation… only then would I lift a hand.
The sheath that was Karuizawa had to be removed from the sword that was Hirata in order for me to make use of him to the fullest extent.
I'm sorry, Hirata. Karuizawa. But the truth of the matter remains.
A sword that cannot be unsheathed is no sword at all.
-o-o-o-
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Next Chapter: March 15th
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