Chapter 41: Forest School ④

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Translator: Soafp

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The next morning, I sat on the bed, deep in thought the whole time.

About how I should deal with this “nightmare.”

Stretching widely, Takagi leaned in and peered at my face.

“What's up with you? You look so serious this early in the morning.”

“…It's nothing.”

“What the hell, that's boring.”

“I was just thinking about how to deal with your snoring. I thought about clipping your nose shut with a clothespin, but unfortunately couldn't find one.”

“That way of thinking is scary!”

This “nightmare” wasn't as serious as the recent ones.

No—this level was what should have been normal.

What happened with Yuzuki, Nodoka, and Airi… those were the abnormal ones.

“Hey, Takagi. Are you close with Ito-san?”

“Hmm… not really. If anything, she's been avoiding me lately.”

“Why?”

“Seems like she thinks I'm in the same group as you.”

“Oh… so that's my fault.”

“It's not really your fault. Anyone who sides with you gets labeled an enemy by her. Apparently she even got into a bit of an argument with Komori-san yesterday when she tried to comfort her.”

“…”

If you're not an ally, you're an enemy—

Maybe that's just how her mind works.

If that's the case, relying on Takagi for this “nightmare” would be difficult, and Nodoka might be tricky too.

Of course, I'm out of the question as well.

She'd probably hate even exchanging words with me.

(In that case, there's only one suitable person.)

After breakfast, I walked over to the girls in our group.

Nodoka and Yuzuki were chatting cheerfully together.

At least on the surface, they looked like they were getting along well.

Only Ito-san wasn't talking to them at all.

“Kitayama-san, can I talk to you for a bit?”

“Huh? Ah, okay!”

Yuzuki followed me, looking somewhat happy.

Come to think of it, this was the first time I'd initiated a conversation since we broke up.

“What's up?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“You said you'd believe what I say, right?”

“Y-yeah…”

Yuzuki made a slightly uneasy face.

Well, that's only natural.

Her ex suddenly calls her over and opens with, “You'll believe me, right?”

“So… probably in two days—no, actually tomorrow—Ito-san is going to get injured during the orienteering.”

“Huh? Injured?”

This was why I judged this “nightmare” as relatively mild.

Compared to Yuzuki's NTR, Nodoka's fatal accident, and Airi's arson and suicide—

Ito-san only gets injured.

That said, it's not something as minor as a scrape.

“She'll break her two front teeth.”

“What!? That's pretty serious!”

“Right? That's why I'm asking you now.”

From what I saw in the dream, Ito-san had become completely isolated within the group.

She didn't seem focused on the orienteering at all.

Yuzuki asked hesitantly,

“But… can the future you see actually be changed?”

“Most of the time, yeah. Of course, you have to make an effort to change the flow.”

“An effort to change the flow… what exactly should I do?”

Avoiding this “bad dream” should be relatively simple.

Just make sure she doesn't fall.

Keep her aware, and have people around her pay attention too.

For that, we need—

“I want you to properly make up with Ito-san.”

In the first place, the reason Ito-san was distracted and isolated during the orienteering was because of her fight with Yuzuki yesterday.

So if they reconcile and get along again, the problem should be solved.

“But… after everything she said about you…?”

“I don't really care about that. Well, putting me aside, at the very least, you should apologize for hitting her.”

“That's true, but…”

Yuzuki turned her face slightly away.

She seemed even more upset about Ito-san's words than I was.

“Well… if it's too difficult, I'll ask someone else.”

Even if they're fighting, Ito-san is still Yuzuki's friend.

That's why I thought she was the most suitable person.

But if she herself is reluctant and dissatisfied, then it's pointless.

Knowing how stubborn she is, it'd be faster to give up than to force it.

“Someone else… who?”

“For now, maybe Nodoka.”

She's also Ito-san's friend, and they're both girls.

Even if it's awkward, she'd still be better than me at catching her if she trips.

If Nodoka's shyness makes it impossible, I was planning to ask Suzuki instead.

He's not particularly close with Ito-san, but he's not disliked by her like me or Takagi either.

But Yuzuki widened her eyes and hurriedly said,

“O-okay! I'll do it. What should I do after we make up?”

“Stay right by Ito-san during the orienteering tomorrow and make sure she doesn't fall. If she looks like she's about to, support her. But don't get too absorbed in conversation—make sure she stays focused on the orienteering too.”

“That sounds a bit harder than I thought… but I'll try! It's a request from you, after all, Ren.”

She smiled brightly.

My feelings were complicated.

It felt like she accepted it not so much for Ito-san's sake, but for mine.

(Her priorities in relationships really are that extreme.)

That's probably why, even in that “nightmare,” Nagasawa-senpai ranked above me—

and she coldly cast me aside.

Right now, I rank higher than Ito-san for Yuzuki.

That's why she accepted my request so easily.

Whether Ito-san's teeth get broken or not is only secondary to her.

“I'll believe anything you say, Ren! I'll do whatever you tell me!”

The smile of my childhood friend—my ex-girlfriend—

looked terrifying.

---

“I'm sorry… even though you got angry on my behalf, I ended up doing something like that…”

Yuzuki immediately grabbed Ito's hand tightly and apologized.

Then, she carefully explained—step by step—just how important Ren was to her, and why she was trying to repair their relationship.

“I didn't realize Fukagawa-kun meant that much to you… I'm the one who should apologize.”

“No, it's okay. I should've told you earlier.”

Yuzuki gently stroked Ito's cheek as she continued.

“That must've really hurt… right?”

Ito shook her head.

“From now on, I'll help you and Fukagawa-kun get along again.”

“Yeah, thank you. You really are kind.”

The two of them looked at each other and smiled.

From the outside, it was a heartwarming scene.

But inside, Yuzuki's thoughts were heading in a completely different direction.

(Like I'd ever think of someone like you as a friend again.)

In her mind, she shoved Ito into the same box as Nodoka.

No—she had almost destroyed the fragile progress Yuzuki had just started to make with Ren.

In that sense, Yuzuki even considered her worse than Nodoka.

She was only pretending to make up and act like friends because Ren had asked her to.

(Right now, I have to somehow win back Ren's trust.)

In the end, this whole situation had started because she had brushed off what Ren said about the photography club and Nagasawa-senpai.

If that was the case, then there was only one thing she needed to do.

Unconditionally affirm his words—and obey them.

Whether she truly believed he could see the future or not didn't matter.

(I still can't accept the idea that I'd cheat, though…)

The story her mother told her about when they were in elementary school, and what happened with her father—

all of it suggested that Ren possessed some kind of special ability.

It went far beyond simple intuition.

In fact, even just regarding Ito, he had described a very specific situation.

(Why would I, of all people, end up cheating with Nagasawa-senpai…?)

Yuzuki couldn't even begin to imagine a future where she would cheat.

Was the reason Ren was so fixated on the summer training camp because something would happen there?

Of course, that line of thinking only worked if she accepted that his power was real.

(For now… I just have to believe him.)

She didn't want to see Ren go to Nodoka.

Somehow, during this school trip, she had to close the distance between them—even just a little.

Holding firmly onto that resolve, Yuzuki finished the second day of the trip.

The next day, right after breakfast, the program began.

As the groups gathered, Ren suddenly widened his eyes and muttered,

“I see… it was a light drizzle.”

Because of the misty rain that had fallen at dawn, the ground was still slightly damp.

The teachers supervising the trip must have judged it safe enough, because the orienteering went ahead as planned.

At that point, Yuzuki herself hadn't thought much of it.

Ren approached her and whispered,

“Keep a close eye on Ito. Stay by her side at all times.”

“Got it.”

Even though she wanted to stay by Ren's side…

Yuzuki suppressed those feelings and reluctantly moved closer to Ito.

As the group walked along, they reached a downhill slope.

There was no choice but to pass through it.

Ito smiled brightly and said,

“I'm actually good at this. So just leave it to me—”

But in that very moment—

her foot slipped on the ground as she stepped forward.

“Kyaa!”

Ito's short scream rang out.

Yuzuki's eyes widened in shock.

In the next instant, she instinctively caught Ito's body as it pitched forward.

“A-are you okay!?”

“Y-yeah… that scared me. It's slipperier than I thought here.”

“Looks like the drizzle made it slippery. Be careful.”

“Sorry…”

If there had been even a little distance between them, Yuzuki wouldn't have been able to catch her.

If that had happened, Ito might have slammed face-first into the ground.

(Her teeth really could've been broken…)

Yuzuki swallowed hard.

Just like Ren had said.

Which meant—

(Ren… can really see the future…?)

Then… the future where I cheat with Nagasawa-senpai… is real too…?

Yuzuki's lips trembled slightly.