CH 7

One night after the “Good Tidings” uproar, we are greeting the morning as if nothing had happened.

This is because I put an end to the story by saying that the meaningless stuff about Hiyomi was my grand delusion——namely a dream.

But I can’t just dismiss what I’ve seen with my own eyes as a dream, regardless of what the story is.

But what is the meaning of Hiyomi, the holder of Gabriel, showing no reaction to the word “Good Tidings” before?

If she really didn’t know, it would mean that the power of the “Divine Spirit” was working unconsciously, but Hiyomi in her volitional body was firmly aware of the existence of [Gabriel].

Given that fact, it is not easy to dismiss the possibility that Hiyomi is lying, but if she is, would there be a reason for her to tell such lie?

I couldn’t understand the series of actions that Hiyomi had taken.

Thanks to that, I’m completely sleep deprived today.

”Nii-san~, hurry up or you’ll be late~”

Hiyomi, who had finished her breakfast and was perfectly prepared, said urgently.

She doesn’t know about this, but I envy her for that optimism.

”All right, I’m coming!

Then I walked with Hiyomi as usual along the usual route to school.

Hiyomi’s friend Sara joins us, and it’s the same old unchanging everyday life.

Yes, it was supposed to be like that——

”……Hmm? Huh?”

As soon as I arrived at the school and changed into my indoor shoes at the entrance, I saw an unusual item.

Because my attendance number is the highest, my shoe box is at the top.

Each class has its own shoe box, so if you have the highest attendance number, you’ll be on the top row.

That’s why none of them should have been present on my shoe box, but that wasn’t the case today.

An unfamiliar pair of dark brown loafers and a round black leather bag.

Apparently, the owner belonged to some female student.

—— but why is it here?

I don’t know why she left it on my shoe box, but it didn’t do any harm to me, so I guess it’s okay to leave it there.

Suppose she said her handbag was stolen, it’s her fault for leaving it here.

Without paying any further attention, I headed straight for the classroom.

On the way, Kanato came at me with a panicked look and grabbed me by the shoulders.

”Y, you! What the heck did you do?”

”Eh, what’s going on all of a sudden? Is anything happen?”

I calmly asked back, trying to suppress Kanato’s dismay.

After that, Kanato seemed to have regained his composure and began to talk about what had happened in his usual tone.

”Actually, a while ago, a guy from Class C, which is pretty famous among delinquents, came by. He seems to be looking for you. So I thought you might have done something to him…….”

”Oh, maybe it’s about yesterday. ……”

The only thing that comes to mind is the time he fought back against a delinquent who was hitting on Hiyomi.

Maybe he came here to revenge for his failure.

”What the heck happened yesterday?”

”Yeah, actually——“

I told Kanato everything that had happened yesterday without hiding anything.

Hiyomi was being picked on —— and I saw it and came to her rescue —— and then I beat them.

When all was said and done, Kanato put his hand on his forehead and released his words with a distracted chuckle.

”—— So he’s coming for revenge of that.”

”Yeah, I’m afraid so.”

”That’s good, I thought you were trying to start a fight.”

”After seventeen years together, did Kanato think I was the kind of guy who would do that?……”

”You’ve been buying fights since long ago. I thought you finally turned to the selling side.”

”As if I’d do that!”

I was surprised that he thought that way about me, even though we were childhood friends who had known each other for a long time.

I was quite curious about how I looked in Kanato’s eyes, but this conversation was forcibly cut off when the pre-bell chime that signaled seating rang out in the school.

”The teacher will probably arrive along when the pre-bell chime rings, and if we hurry to the classroom, the chances of running into a delinquent are pretty low!”

”Well, I’m sure I’ll be found at recess anyway!”

Unlike the morning school hours, the break time after class is the best time to target your prey because they are more likely to be seated.

I’m sure that the delinquent will show up in class accordingly.

—— I hope it won’t be too much trouble…….

Praying so, Kanato and I hurriedly ran to class A.

As Kanato had predicted, there were no delinquents waiting for us in front of the class, so we entered the classroom smoothly and were able to take our seats just in time for the bell.

”Haa– I’m so tired!”

I whispered to myself.

I’m really tired and I don’t want them to come back for revenge.

But they will never be able to understand my situation.

Besides, now that I’m at school, I’ve got things left to do——

”Good morning, Asaumi.”

”Ah, yeah, good morning, Karasudani…….”

When I saw Asumi greeting me with a sour face, my heart was shortening its lifespan every second.

I don’t know what to say to her from now on, even though I still haven’t gotten an answer to yesterday’s question.

That’s why I didn’t want Asumi to talk to me at this time. ——

”By the way, are you free this afternoon? I think I’ll ask you yesterday’s answer during lunch, is that okay?”

”Eh? Ah, yeah. I don’t have any plans for lunch, so It’ll be fine.”

”Okay, then, come to the back of the gym at noon.”

”Y, yeah, allright…….”

When I expressed my approval, Asumi turned on her heel and easily went back to her seat.

I don’t know why she didn’t ask me about it now, but let’s be happy because my life has been prolonged just a little bit.

I’m going to spend the next few hours thinking up on that answer——

——Hmm? Come to think of it, why was Karasudani walking around when the pre-bell chime rang?

When I suddenly wondered and looked around, there were still some people chatting.

Apparently, Tayama-sensei hadn’t arrived yet.

”Sensei, hurry and come…….”

As it turned out, there aren’t any delinquents, so there was no need for you hurry, Sensei!

As I was regretting my folly of doing something so exhausting, I received a gentle poke on my shoulder.

And my exhaustion is cleansed to the heavens.

”G, good morning, Asaumi-kun!”

”G, good morning, Tsukinoto! It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it!”

”Uh-huh! Sure it is!”

” “……” “

Yes, The conversation was cut short.

I had expected this, but why is it that I can’t think of anything to talk about when I talk to a girl I’m interested in like this?

If I got a wish, I would want to ask the me in next life where I have a wife.

However, reality is not that sweet.

——I don’t know, I have no idea what to do next……., anything, is there anything good to talk about?!

While I was holding my head and desperately looking for something to talk about, Tsukinoto shamelessly approached me.

”By the way, were you okay today? It seemed like some scary people were looking for you, Asaumi-kun……”

”Ah, yeah, well, I haven’t run into that guy yet, so I guess I can’t say for sure…?”

”I see, then you’d better tell the teacher or someone soon…….”

I think Kotoka looks the cutest as she stares at me with a worried expression on her face, or is it my imagination?

I said the words in a calm manner so that she wouldn’t know what was going on in my mind.

”Tayama-sensei knows what happened between me and that guy, so it’s okay. But thank you for taking the time to worry about me.”

”Uh, yeah, ……, but if you feel you’re in danger, tell the teacher right away, okay?”

”All right, I’ll do as Tsukinoto says then.”

The teacher came into the room just as the conversation was wrapping up, and all the students went rigid as statues.

Suddenly, the teacher came in and she was more than a little upset——

”Odagiri-sensei? Odagiri-sensei is going to do homeroom today?”

”That’s right, since Tayama-sensei is taking care of the visitors, I’m going to be in charge of Class A’s homeroom instead~”

”Seriously! I’ve never been so glad to be at school as I am today!”

”Yes, yes, thank you~. I’ll start homeroom then, so please take your seats~”

After answering each of the boys’ questions in a quick way, Odagiri-sensei, also known as Ruriko Odagiri, instructs students who are not yet seated to take a seat.

Shortly thereafter, after confirming that everyone was safely seated, Odagiri-sensei starts the homeroom.

”Okay, I’ll take your attendance then. If you are called, please answer cheerfully, okay?”

Thus, roll call was taken one student at a time, but there were a few students who joked around when answering, probably because the teacher were not Tayama-sensei.

Well, I replied in a normal way.

”Now that everyone is present and the roll call is over, I’d like to move on to the announcements, but before I do, I have a big announcement to make~”

The next moment, the whole class is in an uproar.

”Teacher, you’re getting married? or “Are you getting a boyfriend?” and other very personal questions were flying around the class.

I mean, if she had to respond to every single one of them, she wouldn’t be able to go on with her story at all.

”It’s not personal, I know it’s sudden, but there’s a new student joining this class today! Everyone, please be nice to them, okay?”

”It sure is sudden!” I tsukkomi-ed lightly in my mind.

All the students are in a state of excitement, perhaps influenced by the wavelength of the teacher’s love story.

Ignoring them, Odagiri-sensei calls out to the student in the hallway, “You can come in~”.

However, the new student showed no sign of coming in.

”…..Um, I’ll be right back~”

I followed Odagiri-sensei out of the corner of my eye as she ran smilingly into the hallway, and within a few seconds, a new student entered the room as she was led by the teacher.

Seeing this, the students who had been making so much noise were instantly speechless.

Disappiontingly, I also choke on my words like they do.

She has a slender figure and long peach-colored unruly hair.

The large flower-shaped ribbon on the side of her head is very attractive, but I can’t help but notice her sleepy golden eyes, which are in perfect harmony with her hair color.

It’s as if she is a—-“fairy”.

”Now then, would you mind introducing yourself?”

Odagiri-sensei gave instructions to the beautiful new student in her usual gentle tone of voice, but the new student, whose face was as neat as a doll’s, did not move an inch.

I’m sure she’s nervous.

”Everyone gets nervous at first, so just stay calm and introduce yourself at your own pace and you’ll be fine!”

Odagiri-sensei provides maximum support for the new students who doesn’t make the slightest movement.

And then, just as I thought she had finally opened his mouth, everyone in the room who had to receive the introduction of the new student made a dumb face, as if they had been hit by a peashooter.

It was understandable, because what she said was nothing short of astonishing.

”I don’t have a name, …….Because I was only instructed to stay with Shinya……”

Her long, quiet, spring-like voice makes an outrageous statement as soon as she transfers in.

Unfortunately, even with name as common as “Shinya,” there is only one person with that name in this class.

That’s why all the eyes in the class are focused on me at once——

”Eh? Wait, wait, I don’t understand what you mean!?”

I couldn’t stand the stares of my classmates, and I couldn’t help but ask the new student back.

The new student walked up to me with a very happy expression on her face and jumped into my chest without hesitation, ignoring all the other’s eyes.

”wh, who, whoa! Why are you hugging me?”

”Because I’ve been instructed to stay with Shinya……?”

I don’t know what it means at all even if you tilt your head in a cute way.

More importantly, I think I’m getting more painful stares from the boys…….

I need to know what’s going on first so I can clear up any misunderstandings quickly!

”Instructions? Where and by whom were those instructions given?”

I pull her out of my chest and question her.

Then she slowly opened his cherry-red lips, tilting her head in the opposite direction this time.

”……A stranger?”

”Isn’t that’s the one you shouldn’t believe the most!”

”Is that so? But I’m the one who chose to be with Shinya…….”

She then tried to hug me again, but thanks to the fact that I had held her shoulders beforehand, she can’t.

Give me a break already, it’s still morning.

”Em, then, can she sit behind you, Asaumi-kun? It’s okay right?” (Odagiri)

”No, there’s nothing okay about it!” (Shinya)

”I don’t care where it is if I can be with Shinya…….” (Transfer Student)

”Okay, it’s decided then! I’m going to get a desk and a chair, who wants to help me?” (Odagiri)

”Did my intentions not even considered?” (Shinya)

The desperate plea didn’t seem to reach anyone, and when Odagiri-sensei asked the students to lend a hand, all the boys’ attention was brought to it.

Agh, I don’t care about it if it gives me some peace of mind. But as soon as I thought that there was yet another problem——

”By the way, did you come empty-handed today?” (Shinya)

Perhaps it was because her first day at the new school, but I couldn’t find anything that looked like a bag on her hands or back.

I don’t think she would have come empty-handed, even if the school couldn’t provide her designated bag…….

”It’s not that, I brought a bag…….But when I realized, it was gone…….”

I wonder why did I feel like I have something in mind when I hear her words.

”W-what shape and color was that bag?”

”I don’t remember the shape, but I think it was black…….”

”……Let me ask you something, did you stop by the shoe box when you came to school this morning?”

”Yeah, I was trying to find Shinya’s shoe box……What about that?”

”Aaaah, I think I got a clue…….”

Apparently, the shoes and bag on my shoe box belonged to her.

If there were any valuables in there, it would be a problem, and it would be better to go get them as soon as possible.

”Tsukinoto, I’m sorry, but if the teacher comes back while I’m gone, could you tell her I’m getting the new student’s bag?”

”……”

”Tsukinoto? What’s wrong?”

”Eh! ah, yeah! Sure, I’ll tell her!”

I’m not sure if it’s because I suddenly spoke to her when she was in a daze, but Kotoka agreed in a very flustered state.

Let’s apologize later for startling her.

”Come on, let’s go get your bag!”

”Ah, un, okay……!”

She totters over to follow my back.

After five minutes of walking down the corridor with the teacher’s voice echoing in each classroom, we finally arrived at the shoe box.

However, it seems that the situation that I feared has already happened in reality——

”——The bag is gone…….” (Transfer Student)