Chapter 10: Seeds of Rumors, Execution Time Approaches

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Translator: Soafp

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The chime rang throughout the classroom, signaling the end of the last class.

The teacher set the chalk down on the blackboard and slowly scanned the room.

“…Well, that’s all for today. Make sure you don't forget anything.”

Someone called out, “Stand up!” and the sound of desks being pushed back filled the room.

“Bow!”

The homeroom teacher nodded lightly and left the classroom.

The moment the teacher left, the atmosphere in the room loosened.

The sound of chairs being moved, bags being opened, and the chatter of friends quickly spread throughout the room.

I glanced sideways at Miyabi. She was resting her chin on her desk, wearing a troubled expression. Aoi, still holding her bag, seemed to be lost in thought.

I wondered if they were still thinking about that book.

“Hey, hey, Miyabi-chan.”

A girl sitting nearby called out to Miyabi with a curious look, leaning in closer.

“I saw you in front of the gym the other day… You've been getting along well with that senior, right? What were you two talking about?”

That senior was probably the third-year Godai, who was said to be one of the most handsome guys at school.

The most beautiful girl in school, Miyabi, and the handsome Godai. Of course, it would cause quite a stir.

Now that I thought about it, I wondered if Miyabi had replied to him yet. If she had, then that would mean they were already a couple.

Just imagining it made my heart ache, and I felt a dull pain in my chest.

Other girls gathered around, equally curious, pressing Miyabi for more details.

Miyabi smiled awkwardly.

“Well… It wasn't anything special.”

She gently deflected the question, trying to avoid going into detail.

“Eh~? What's that! Now I'm even more curious!”

I quietly watched the scene unfold.

“What do you think, Aoi?”

Suddenly, one of the classmates turned to Aoi.

“Eh?”

Aoi, resting her elbow on the desk, looked up with a slightly surprised expression.

“It's about Miyabi and Godai. Since you're childhood friends, don't you care?”

“I don't know, I'm not really interested in other people's love lives.”

“Really? Then what about your own love life?”

The classmates, having had their fill of Miyabi's story, now found a new target.

“Speaking of which, I've heard that Takamatsu-senpai has been making moves on Aoi. Is that true?”

At this, several of the girls leaned in, exclaiming, “Eh!”

“Eh, really!? Does that mean Aoi-chan and Takamatsu-senpai are getting close?”

“Isn't that crazy? If Miyabi and Godai are a thing, and Aoi and Takamatsu-senpai too, that's like a beautiful couple match-up!”

The temperature in the classroom shot up once again.

Takamatsu-senpai—he was a third-year, the ace of the soccer club, tall and good-looking, with a flashy face that made him popular with the girls. Honestly, he was just as much of a heartthrob as Godai.

The rumor that he was after Aoi… If it was true, then it wasn't just a rumor.

I glanced at her.

When our eyes met for a split second, Aoi flinched, then quickly looked away and crossed her arms, letting out a sigh.

“Haa… There's nothing going on.”

She said it in a cold tone, and her classmates responded.

“Eh—there's definitely something going on, right?”

“I heard that Takamatsu-senpai was really nice and was talking to you, is that true?”

They pressed her further.

“Takamatsu is just naturally kind to everyone. He doesn’t treat me any differently.”

Aoi said, turning her gaze to the outside of the classroom, clearly trying to deflect the conversation.

I felt a growing sense of emptiness as I listened.

It was becoming more and more clear to me that our relationship, once the bond of childhood friends, had now just become that — merely a label of childhood friendship.

I had stayed behind, still thinking about the book, but the uncomfortable feeling was too much, so I decided to leave the classroom. Just as I was about to stand up, the voices of the girls, who had been excitedly discussing Aoi, were suddenly drowned out by another commotion.

“Eh!? Really!?”

“This is crazy! Is it for real!? What are they doing here?!”

Now, the boys were stirring, and several rushed to the windows. The atmosphere in the classroom shifted abruptly.

“What? What's happening?”

One of the girls asked the boys, who then shouted excitedly.

“Marin Kousaka and Kagura Shinomiya are standing in front of the school gate!!”

In an instant, the classroom erupted into noise.

“Eh!? No way!?”

“Why are those two here?!”

“No way, it must be a mistake, right?”

“I checked my phone just now, and it's definitely them!”

“Really? Then it's for real?!”

The boys were at the peak of excitement, and a few threw their bags aside and ran out of the classroom.

“Wait, are they really there!? I'm going too!”

Now the girls started getting excited, and about half of the class rushed excitedly into the hallway.

This is bad…!!

In a panic, I quickly pulled my phone from my chest pocket and checked. A message had arrived.

The sender was Marin Kousaka and Kagura Shinomiya.

Not only their phone numbers, but their email addresses were leaked as well…

[Hajime-sensei, I'll deliver your forgotten items to the school this morning!]

[We'll be there soon, so we'll wait in front of the school gate.]

I'm done for… I had completely forgotten about this because I was so focused on the book and Miyabi and the others.

A wave of despair hit me, and I momentarily felt dizzy.

“Haa.“

It felt like I had just been sentenced to death.

With my head hanging low, I picked up my bag, stood up, and left the classroom with heavy steps.