V2Ch6: Classmate

Translator: Soafp

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[Tomoyuki NakamuraPOV]

Kotaro’s article changed the lives of his classmates at school. They, who had been at peace until then, now had to live in a world where they were shunned by those around them.

And Tomoyuki Nakamura, the ace of the soccer team, could not hide his surprise at the different reactions of the people around him.

“──Nakamura,……, how was the match?”

“I can’t get them to team up with me at all.”

“Is that so……what should we do?”

We’re pretty baffled. The high school with which we used to play once a week has unilaterally severed ties with us, and we cannot find a new practice match partner.

Of course, I know the reason why …… it is because of that article. It has changed our school life for the worse. I used to have fun every day, but now I hate going out in my uniform.

I don’t dare to show my student ID card, so I pay the general price at the movie theater. My classmate was also heartbroken that he was dumped by his girlfriend from another school. Whenever I hear about false accusations on TV, I look away, and when I hear the word “mental illness,” I cover my ears.

I spend my days in hell.

But I think that article overstates the case.

We all ignored him, but we didn’t abuse him.

Nobody hit him, nobody yelled at him, and nobody pushed him out of the classroom.

Maybe once I pushed him to get out of the classroom, but I didn’t hurt him. But now we’re in a tight spot because of a malicious article.

“Speaking of which, I heard that …… Kirishima quit school.”

“Haa? Seriously?!”

She was crushing on Ryosuke no matter where he was. So I was really surprised when she took the initiative and started hurting Ryosuke. …… I thought she was going to help him no matter what.

“Did she quit because she felt guilty?”

“….Come now? But now is not the time to be worrying about other people………The cute girl who works the same part-time job as me, she looks at me like a jerk every time she has a shift with me………It hurts, seriously.”

“…… I see.”

My homeroom teacher recently quit, and so many things have changed around us that I’m starting to feel uneasy.

—-I thought about Ryosuke.

Ryosuke was a very funny and nice guy.

Most of the guys who are as good-looking as Ryosuke are scruffy, but Ryosuke was not scruffy at all.

He talked openly to everyone in the class, and if someone was alone, he would befriend them without being annoying.

He is very clear on the lines between men and women, and maintains a moderate distance when dealing with girls.

He is highly popular among his peers because he does not try to seduce women, and he is a real class mood maker.

More than anything else, Ryosuke is a guy who is good at reading other people’s emotions.

He will change the subject if someone looks uncomfortable, and he won’t force himself to talk to someone if they look uncomfortable.

He was a man who could read people’s emotions and the atmosphere better than anyone else.

Because he was like that, when the assault happened, the disappointment must have been great.

Now that I have done something terrible, I’m sorry,……, but Ryosuke will not forgive me at all.

It’s going to be hard for him to forgive me …… since he’s already changed schools.

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“—-Don’t get me involved with me every again!”

“O-oi”

Today, a girl I was close with in the neighborhood isolated herself from me.

The reason was that she didn’t want anyone to see her hanging out with me.

The reason for this was definitely the article.

I wanted to clear up a lot of misconceptions, but she didn’t believe my side of the story at all. I was still not happy with it.

I am still a good guy though.

I heard that some of my seniors had their recommendations revoked because of the article. It’s a disaster. …… I’m afraid of next year too.

“Ryosuke…… didn’t even have to go this far.”

“…… Oi stop it!”

One of my classmates said something like that.

Some of them agreed with him, but most of them were like me and warned him about it.

But I understand how he feels.

Everyone has worked so hard to protect Ryosuke, and they probably feel like they’ve been wronged.

Everyone was really sorry for what happened.

But it is too painful that they didn’t listen to him until the end. From now on, everyone wanted to be friends with him, especially since they had hurt him so much.

That evening, I went to my childhood friend’s house to get away from it all.

“……Don’t come to see me again!”

“…… Eh?”

This time, my childhood friend cut me off.

As soon as I went to my childhood friend’s house, the door was closed and called me a b*****d.

“W-Wha! Just listen to me!”

……………

There was no reply.

He didn’t even listen to me.

He could have at least listened to me.

But it seems the other guys are going through the same thing.

Most of them have been cut off from other students, friends, and girlfriends.

Not only that.

They are all afraid to leave school and home, and when they do go out, they try their best to hide their high school so they don’t get caught.

The school with a high deviation score, which until recently they were proud of, is now a heavy cross that they despise just for being known.

The story of Ryosuke’s article seemed to be disgusting on an unbelievable level from a completely unrelated person, and the wind against those of us who were involved was fierce.

“…… Haa”

I headed home with my shoulders drooped.

The next day, I skipped morning practice and stayed in class.

I didn’t feel like doing anything,…… I sat in my seat and looked outside.

The girl in the neighborhood that I was close with and the guy who was my childhood friend and best friend had cut me off….so I’m being depressed.

“…… hmm?”

One girl is wiping Ryosuke’s desk with a clean rag.

That girl is, I believe, Asahi Yumikawa. That girl is a very quiet girl.

I called out to Yumikawa, who was working hard to wipe the desk.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Oh, N-Nakamura-kun. ……”

The girl was very nervous, as if she is not good with boys.

Yumikawa gave cookies to Ryosuke, right?

This means that she must have liked Ryosuke.

“I always thought it was so clean, Yumikawa must have wiped it down every day.”

“Yeah. …… so that he could come home whenever he wanted. ……”

“I see. ……”

Ryosuke has already transferred schools.

He doesn’t want to see us, and he’s not likely to ever come back. But they still want to see him again. …… Of course I am the same…….

“I ….said some terrible things about him.”

“…… me too.”

“I liked Ryosuke, so I couldn’t forgive him for assaulting a girl. ……”

“……Right.”

“Why didn’t I believe him?”

“…………”

“Why didn’t I listen to him?”

“………?!”

I heard Yumikawa’s words and vividly recalled the events of the past few days.

[Don’t get involved with me anymore!]

I wanted to believe him.

[…..Oi, don’t come see me anymore!]

I wanted him to at least listen to me.

That was why the two people who unilaterally rejected me were so resentful of me.

But ……

This is ……

Isn’t this the same thing we’ve been doing to Ryosuke, ……?

They ignored me, and I was shocked that they wouldn’t listen to me, but I’ve been doing the same thing to Ryosuke all this time?

The whole class disregarded Nakazato, who was cherished by him…

…… Yeah, this is really the worst.

“Yumikawa, do you know where Ryosuke is?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“….I see.”

………Ah, I wish I could apologize to Ryosuke again.

I’m an idiot for not realizing it until I’m in this situation, but if the opportunity arises, please let me apologize to him.

I feel like I can apologize from the bottom of my heart this time.

Please give me one more …… chance …… please.

I remember the day I became friends with Ryosuke.

[Nakamura! I heard you’re good at soccer?]

[…… well, I guess so?]

[Are you aiming for the J-League or something?]

[Yeah. …… well… ……]

[Nakamura, you practice in the park, right? And it’s pretty late.]

[Eh? You’ve been watching?]

[Ouu! ─ ─ You’re working so hard, you can definitely become a pro. If you become a pro, buy me a yakiniku!]

[Don’t suddenly start begging me! Well, when I turn pro, okay?]

[Okay! Well then, good luck for the yakiniku! I’m seriously rooting for you, okay?]

[You’re a pain in the *ss! —–Hahahaha!]

[Hahaha—-my name is Ryosuke Yamamoto… ……… and I’m looking forward to working with you.]

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