Chapter 36: “Just wait.”

Reading Settings

Translated and Edited by: luccayn.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you're close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it's cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one's older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

---

Monday—another school day.

On my way to school, I kept thinking about Tsukino’s words, “Just wait.”

The reason is simple: I despise people who drag down those working hard, and becoming one of those people myself is the last thing I want to do.

To keep that conviction while fulfilling Yamakawa’s request, I need to find a way to resolve the issue without stepping directly into the conflict, but still ensuring the people involved resolve it themselves.

It feels like being asked to paint a picture without a canvas. What clever solution could I possibly come up with?

…That aside.

Lately, whenever I try to think or remember something, Tsukino’s presence distracts me like noise. If only she weren’t around, things might go a bit smoother.

This feeling of not being able to leave someone alone is something I haven’t experienced in a long time. It’s not decisive, but it’s clearly different from what I feel toward anyone else. If I had to use a common phrase to describe this almost irrational, mysterious emotion…

“You look like you’re ‘curious,'” someone said.

…Apparently, I had already made it to the station without noticing.

The fact that I was so lost in thought was almost laughably foolish, like a chick still wearing its eggshell. And there, in front of me, laughing, was none other than Michiru Tsukino herself.

“Good morning, Shinji-kun. What are you thinking about today?”

It felt like she had read my mind, but she was probably just curious. I mean, if you became as sharp as Saori, that would be a problem. Being a little airheaded suits you just fine.

“Shinji-kun?”

“Oh, morning, Tsukino. I was just thinking about you.”

“…Ah, ah, ah, don’t flirt with me first thing in the morning! You're making this awkward!”

“That's not what I meant. I was just worried that your expression from three days ago—looking like you were about to cry—reminded me of someone who's prone to self-destruction in the name of self-sacrifice.”

At that, Tsukino slumped her shoulders and let out a deep sigh. With such a blatant reaction, it almost made me feel guilty for not giving her a more romantic line, like something out of a rom-com.

“What do you mean?”

“I'm not saying I reject the idea of solving problems by getting hurt. But if the purpose becomes the act of getting hurt itself, it won't lead to a real solution.”

Tsukino looked surprised, took half a step back, and tried to avoid meeting my eyes.

“…But if it brings peace to the class, isn't that okay?”

“No, it's not.”

Why not?

She didn't ask me that question, probably because even I didn't have a clear answer. In a way, her naivety saved me.

A perfect chance. Before she could press further, I decided to change the topic.

“Hey, Tsukino. What do you want to do about this problem?”

“What do you mean, what do I want to do?”

“Do you want to put it on hold, forget about it, replace it with something else, erase it, or solve it? There are countless possible outcomes.”

She stopped, gently bumped her forehead against my right shoulder, then quickly pulled back and fell in behind me again. Seems like she really didn't want to meet my gaze.

“…It might sound idealistic, but I still want to get along with everyone. I think there's a better way, one that won't make the class think I'm weird.”

“If your goal is to return to being friends with everyone, is sacrificing yourself the right way to achieve that?”

Tsukino silently gripped the hem of her blazer, which she had pressed earlier to smooth out the wrinkles. I wondered what kind of expression she had on. She didn't seem scared or frightened; the emotions weren't clear.

“Sorry, Shinji-kun. I think I might have been wrong.”

“I see.”

“Hehe. I mean, isn’t it kind of ridiculous? I told you to wait, and before I even had a chance to talk to you about it, you went ahead and started thinking about me and tried to help on your own. It’s beyond creepy—it’s creepily creepy.”

“Usually, if you go beyond creepy, doesn’t it become cool or something?”

At that, she lightly hit my shoulder, so I stopped and turned around. But she had already slipped out of my view, leaving behind a small “hehe” as she made her way toward the far end of the platform.

“I’m going to think of another way. I want to figure it out on my own, so you go ahead and get on the train.”

“Yeah, got it.”

I’ll overlook her assumption that I naturally wanted to walk to school with her. No need to nitpick right now.

“That’s right. I don’t actually hate anyone. I don’t even resent them, and I definitely don't want to treat people like you do, Shinji-kun.”

“Is that so?”

“So, wait for me, okay? Shinji-kun.”

Maybe I was being a bit nosy. But given the situation, I figured it was necessary to at least share the premise.

If I had to justify it, I’d say what I suggested was something like a Copernican shift in perspective—a more flexible, practical way of thinking about life, like improving her quality of life (QOL), if you will.

In any case, I hadn't told her how to solve the problem exactly, so I'd say I'm still within the safe zone. You could say I didn't teach her “how to fish,” but rather “how to go fishing.” That might be the easiest way to explain it.

…Who am I even making excuses to? How ridiculous.

“Sigh“

Anyway, I still have my own moves to make. In fact, there's one person in this situation that I could face directly without anyone raising any complaints.

However, I don't know exactly who that is. It's strange to say I have a suspect in mind but don't know their identity, but it's because I'm thinking of the person who locked me and Tsukino in the second storage room.

Let's call them suspect Z for now. Tracking down this person is the only concrete action I can take at the moment, but even if I find them, I'm not sure what I should ask.

Since I didn't know, I paused my thoughts for a moment and let my eyes wander to a distant place.

“…Not bad.”

Through the train window, I noticed the mountains had started to turn red with autumn leaves. Amidst the still patchy green, three small rivers flowed into a lake, which in turn fed into a larger river that journeyed on to the sea. This area, it turns out, is a well-known spot among mountain climbers.

I really do love the scenery of this town. The perfect balance of countryside just outside the machiya district—it's just right.

…By the way.

Do any of you know why viewing autumn leaves is called momijigari (maple hunting)?

The origin of the term apparently dates back to the Heian period. Nobles, who couldn't freely leave the court for trivial reasons due to their status, borrowed the refined word “hunting” as an excuse to enjoy leisurely strolls in beautiful landscapes.

In other words, it was an elegant play on words created by the rules governing aristocratic life. That's the origin of the bizarre idea of “hunting” autumn leaves.

“…I see. Rules. Every group has rules.”

So, what were the rules of that harem? What kind of rules were in place to ensure everyone equally adored Haruta, shared their unfulfilled desires, and were satisfied under such conditions?

The situation is so far removed from reality that, without more information, it's obvious I won't come up with an answer no matter how hard I rack my brain. In that case, the best course of action would be to observe the heroines, figure out the rules at play, and devise a strategy to exploit them.

“Either way, I need to find whoever was observing the harem.”

Annoyingly, all three of them—well, four, if you include Tsukino—are gorgeous. That means the most likely suspects are boys who are into pretty faces, the largest demographic among high school boys. If I track down someone like that, I might eventually stumble upon the right person.

But that's not really my style. Besides, I don't have the stamina or time to search randomly.

More importantly, since I've gotten this far by using my brain and words, it feels only natural that sticking to proven methods would be more efficient.

Is there any lead I can work with?

“…Ah.”

Of course! There are plenty of people. Those guys who've been watching the harem from the sidelines. I don't know them personally, but they probably know about me—the ones who've always been peeking from the hallways, Tsukino's fan club or something like that.

Let's start with them. They're the most likely to know who locked us in that storage room, after all.

---

Thank you for reading! Feel free to comment your opinions below!

Also, if you enjoyed my translation and would like to feed my caffeine addiction, click on the button below and graciously give me my fix—I mean, a cup of coffee.