Chapter 13: Strong miso soup

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Posted on April 30, 2022by Soafp

Translator: Soafp

　My body is heavy.

I didn’t have a fever, but my condition was so bad that I missed two days of school after Sachi came to my house.

Sachi wanted to say something, but she did not ask me deeply if I was not feeling well.

　So Thursday came.
I have missed too much school recently.
I was beginning to worry if I would be able to keep up with my classes.

　I also need to find a part-time job.

I’ve been putting it off until later, but it’s not something I can avoid forever.

Well, I have no problem with this as long as it is far away from the school.
It’s not like I’m bad at working.

　”Are you awake, Onii-chan?”

　Sachi poked her head out of the futon and looked into my face to see if I was awake.

“…What’s wrong?”

　”Uhm, I was thinking of taking the rest of the day off from school too…”

I wondered what she was going to say, but that’s what she meant.

　Well, I can pretty much guess why.

“I see, I’m going to school today.”

　”Eh! Really?! Then I’ll go too! —together?”

　Sachi suggested this with a superior look.
I knew that even if I refused, I would have to go with her, so I let it slide.

“….Mother, haven’t she said something?”

Suddenly, I asked that.

“…Don’t bother your brother.
And to come back properly, is what she said.”

“…..I see.”

　It was a somewhat unexpected response.
I had expected her to be angry with her and tell her to come home as soon as possible.

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　But it seems that was not the case.
I’m not quite sure what Mom’s intentions are.

　I thought she wanted to keep Sachi away from me.

　”I’ll make breakfast! Get ready, Onii-chan!”

I am fine.
I thought so.

　Apparently I’m not that positive right now.
Even the act of going to school was becoming more and more stressful.

　However, I couldn’t stop myself from going.

　I ate the breakfast Sachi made and we left the house together.

I didn’t tell her that the miso soup was too strong.

　The harassment did not escalate or anything.

　But the way my classmates looked at me, I couldn’t help but feel that the rumors were spreading completely.

“I didn’t do it!”

　How much better it would be if I could say that and resolve the issue.

At least until I find out who scattered that paper, there is nothing I can do about it.

　(…this would be so much easier.)

The middle ground between one person and being alone.
No one talks to me.
It’s easy.

　If you ask me which is better, being one person or being in the middle of nowhere, the former is definitely better.

　However, that brief moment of peace was easily shattered.

　It was during lunch break.

　”Oi, you little, what did you do?”

　”….Yes?”

　I was in the classroom about to eat my lunch when I heard someone talking to me.

　I recognized him.
I don’t know his name, but I think he was a student in the next class.
He was one of those people who are always making a lot of noise, so I recognized him too.
He was what you might call a high caste student.

　What did he want from me?

　”Don’t play dumb with me.
It’s you who is suspicious.”

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　”No, like I said what do you mean?”

　That’s why!! Glaring at me, as he said that.

“—It’s not about you, I’m asking why Maika is being shunned!!”

　….Ha? What do you mean?

　I didn’t understand what he meant, so I kept silent for a while.

　”—Oi, Kenji! What the hell are you doing!”

　Someone intervened between me, who was speechless, and the boys who were still crowding me.

　Oh, I know this person’s name.

“S-Shinomiya…..Chi.
Its nothing.”

　With one exaggerated click of his tongue, the man called Kenji steps back.

“It’s too early to judge.
Let’s go for now…”

　”I understand.
Damn.
Oi, you, remember that.”

　It’s hard to remember anything, but it’s hard to forget something like this, you idiot.

　I didn’t say it out loud, but I swore in my heart.

　”Hey, what was that about…?”

“As I thought, he was that kind of guy, huh?”

Like I said, I can hear you.

　Quite a few stares were being thrust at me because of the rather loud questioning by Kenji or some such guy.

　I wish they would at least clean up after themselves.

　However, there is something more important.

（Fukumura is being shunned…?)

No, I understand the meaning.
But why?

　Why? There are two reasons for this.

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First is simply why she is being shunned.
I hate to say it, but I was aware that she was a high caste being.

　And the second reason, why are you telling me? Meaning.

　Even if they were aware that “Kitami is bullying Fukumura,” Fukumura is the victim, and that would not be the reason for Fukumura being left out.
It seems to me that there is no causal connection here in the first place.

It should be Fukumura’s own problem that she was left out.

　So why are you asking me about it?

(…..Its too early to judge?)

　Suddenly, Shinomiya’s words caught my attention.

　Did that mean they were planning to contact me at some point?

What’s his reason for reaching out to me?

　Aah, yes.
I can only think of one.

—Are those the guys who put that paper in?

　Maika Fukumura does not have a boyfriend.
That’s what she said herself.

　And the contents of that paper and the way the student Kenji called Fukumura.

　　I’m beginning to see the purpose.

　In other words, he doesn’t like me.
I was next to her.

　Well, that’s enough.
It is ugly, but I can understand it as jealousy.

　But what happened to Fukumura? And how did they know about this in the first place?

“It can be… Sonoda?”

　The worst possible assumption crosses my mind.

　That was all I could think anymore.

(But then, why were they so impatient…)

　It seems that, at least to them, it is unexpected that Fukumura is being left out of the group.

　(To begin with, is Fukumura really being left out?)

　I was just about to say that I was worried that there was too little information, when it occurred to me.

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　（I don’t really need to worry about it.)

　That’s right.
I’m just being harassed this time.

I didn’t bully Fukumura, and I don’t remember anyone saying anything bad about me.

　I should be proud of myself.
No matter what happens around me.

[—Then] [—-It’s not it, isn’t]

I shake off the words that go through my head.

　I don’t want this.

I know it.
If you step out, you know what’s out there.

Remember it.
You know what it is.

　It’s what it’s supposed to be.
That’s what happens when you step in.

　Advice.
Warning.

　Don’t do it.
Rejected.

Throw it away.
Rejected.

It is the way it is, just deny it.

So I won’t be involved

　I will not step in anymore.

　It was the result of selfish complacency.

　It was the result of the imposition of kindness.

　It’s not my fault.

　And yet, yet, why?

　”Damn it…”

　I muttered in a gravelly voice.

　I don’t care if they can hear me.
Because I’m aware that I’m so uncool.

　I want someone to make fun of me.