Chapter 78

"Starting today, we will have a week where we don't say bad things about others. If you find someone saying bad things about others, you should tell the teacher."

It's not clear when it started, but I still remember clearly that it was during my elementary school days when my homeroom teacher suddenly said this during the morning homeroom.

If someone said something bad about someone else, they were to report it to the teacher. Those who were reported had to apologize to the person they spoke ill of in front of everyone.

Reflecting on it now, I wonder if there were better ways to handle it, but at the time, Rin'ou accepted it without doubt and followed it.

She had a strong sense of justice, perhaps influenced by her mother, who had once been a middle school teacher.

Without regard for gender, she would stick her nose into various situations, even reporting the slightest bad words. Even if someone later complained, "That was just a joke," she would wave off their complaints with a borrowed phrase, "That's a matter of how it's received," and refuse to listen.

She had no guilty conscience at all. On the contrary, she felt she was upholding justice. Over time, this escalated.

Another trigger was when a boy in the class brought in and ate some snacks secretly. He didn't say anything bad about anyone. Rather, he was someone who didn't usually say bad things and was more of a class mood maker. Besides, the "no bad words" week had long since ended.

She scolded him without thinking and reported it to the teacher.

--- What a misguided justice girl, she's so annoying.

It turned out that the boy hadn't brought the snacks; he had been persuaded by a friend to eat them. Different circumstances emerged later that contradicted what Rin'ou had reported to the teacher.

It was only a matter of time before she became isolated. Before she knew it, people had started to disappear from around her. Not only that, but people began to gossip about her behind her back.

Even so, Rin'ou didn't run away. She faced them head-on, apologized, and sought a conversation.

--- Why are you so condescending?

--- So preachy. You're so full of yourself, it's really annoying.

Even when she tried to talk to them face-to-face, they only mocked her and wouldn't listen. She began to hear people openly insulting her.

She didn't think she had done anything wrong. Sometimes, you need to say black is white and white is black.

She knew this in her head, but she didn't want to, or couldn't, bend. If she compromised, she felt she would be negating everything she had done.

Even if people said bad things about her behind her back, she was originally that kind of person. She might have been telling herself this to stick to her principles.

Rin'ou realized early on that she needed to be prepared. Prepared to go it alone. Prepared to not care what others said about her.

In that regard, Rin'ou was strong. She excelled.

She never stumbled in her studies or sports, always maintaining good grades and a good reputation with teachers. Even though people gossiped about her, no one confronted her directly.

Once she realized she could manage on her own, her isolation only intensified.

She could easily do things that others struggled with. Sometimes, she would even lend a hand when she couldn't bear to watch someone struggle, but such actions would quickly turn into bad reputations. A vicious cycle.

Even when she tried to be kind, people would openly show their dislike.

No matter what she did, she was a person who would be disliked.

She had resigned herself to this and was already used to it. She knew she would be fine even if she was always alone.

---

"Flower City, nice to meet you! It's so much more relaxing to have a girl next to me!"

"Rin'ou-sensei, please! Please! I'll do better next time!"

"Today is already perfect, see? ...What? It's not? Ah, come on, Rin'ou, let's switch bodies, switch bodies!"

Every day, she would call out to her and smile. No matter how coldly she treated her, she would persist, annoyingly so.

But, it made her happy. She realized then that she still had such feelings.

No matter how much she was treated as an outcast and isolated, she thought she was strong and could handle it. But deep down, she realized the thorn was still there, and it could make her lose her composure and lose sight of herself.

---

"I told her, 'What do you think you're doing, Yui?' ...Hey, Ryo? Are you listening?"

"Ah... yeah, I'm listening, sorry."

"Hey, what's wrong? You've been spacing out! Anyway, it's a secret, okay? If Rina finds out, she might end the fake relationship. Rina wants you two to really become a couple. She's trying to bring you two together."

"But it's not going well," Rina said with an innocent laugh.

Seeing her carefree smile, Rin'ou's body tensed, and she felt as if her breath was being squeezed out.

Unaware of the situation, Rina had misinterpreted their relationship and meddled. Her misguided assumptions and interference had only caused trouble. Even though she didn't know, it was she who couldn't trust Yui.

(It's my fault...)

Rina, talking happily about Yui, was kind and loved. She was someone who didn't match someone like Rin'ou. They were not the kind of people who should be involved with each other. They only ended up as seat neighbors by chance. It was just a coincidence.

Ultimately, this was their fate. To be an unpleasant presence, to be disliked. Such a person.

Because of Yui... Because of Yui. She had almost forgotten this obvious fact. It was a mistake. She had been carried away by Yui's kindness and had deluded herself.

(No matter what, I...)

An impurity. Just a nuisance. A person who would always be disliked.

If that's the case, a nuisance should remain a nuisance, and a disliked person should remain disliked.

A justice-pretending, misguided girl can no longer be with them. She shouldn't be with them.

For their sake, she would step back. This isn't some noble act.

Because at this rate, eventually...

--- You're really in the way. So annoying.

She didn't want to hear those words from Yui's mouth. If it came to that, it would be better to close her eyes, cover her ears, and be alone.

There's nothing complicated about it; she just needs to go back to how she was before meeting her. It's simple. All she needs to do is clearly and directly tell her.

---

"Anyway, let's get ready!" Rina rummaged through the shopping bag again.

Holding one of the boxes of snacks she had taken out, she suddenly stopped.

"Oh no! I only bought mushrooms... We can't have a war with just this... I'll go buy more, so Ryo, get ready and wait for me!"

Rina, after making this clear, left the room in a hurry, leaving Rin'ou standing there.