Butsuriteki ni Koritsu shiteiru Ore no Koukou Seikatsu Volume 1 Chapter 4

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4. I Get Glared At by the Student Council Vice President A Lot, But There Actually Weren’t Any Flags Raised

A break is the toughest time for a loner.

Class time on the other hand is a saving grace. As long as it’s a school that upholds order in class, you won’t have students talking amongst themselves. In other words, loners and normies will play by the same rules. Nobody’s superior or inferior. And furthermore, a loner who performs well can find fun in learning.

But once a break rolls around, a loner has his situation put in front of him, plain to see, and is subjected to humiliation.

And you know, breaks are too long. Five minutes should be fine. Seven minutes max. The last three minutes of a ten minute break feel like an eternity.

When I was in my first year, I had a secret technique of “Going to the Staff Room and Talking to the Teacher (One Meter Away)”. The problem is, you can only use this when you have a hard time understanding the lessons.

Also, I’ve still got some pride as a loner. I don’t want the teachers to think “Man, this guy’s got no friends. That’s rough.”.

I’m only 70% serious when I say this, but I think it’s actually a problem for schools that a certain part of the population are born loners.

A person can tolerate a few days without any friends. But even if a few days is the lower limit, there’s no way someone could last a whole year until their class changes. It’d probably have adverse effects on their personality. Shouldn’t educators have the responsibility to act as a mediator and help them make friends?

But I digress.

Break time is scary. If only they’d ban talking during breaks.

And the scariest one of them all is lunch break.

Just like how monsters come out at twilight, lunch break is when the normies come out to play.

The time before the first period starts might be long, but you can enter right before class starts to minimize the damage. We in the loner world like to do a “last minute attendance”.

Well I call it the loner world, but loners don’t really communicate with each other, so I just made that up. But I’m sure other loners also know all these coping mechanisms.

You can’t do a last minute attendance for lunch break.

If you’re in a club, you can hole yourself away in the club room. This is just info I’ve obtained using my loner ears, but I heard the table tennis club uses their club room to play mahjong during lunch break. Apparently they eat their lunch beforehand just so they can focus on mahjong.

Of course, someone with my Drain could never join a club. Even if I were in one, I’d just feel horrible being in a cramped club room and inconveniencing others.

For the 10 minute breaks, I can just go to the restroom and sit on the toilet until class is about to start. I call this “toilet time killing”. But for lunch break, sitting on the toilet for that long is hard even for a loner.

And I know it’s a well known thing to eat lunch on the toilet (a.k.a. a “toilet meal”), but I’m pretty sure only a few people actually do that. Even loners don’t want to eat on the toilet. So the best thing I can do is eat an early lunch, and leave the classroom once lunch break comes around.

This way, I can avoid eating lunch alone around all these happy people.

The problem now is that I don’t have any place to go, so I just wander around aimlessly…

On this day, my bleak lunch break was a little different.

I had found a place to be.

For a certain reason, I went out into the courtyard.

In the middle of the courtyard is a pointlessly fancy fountain.

Settled down near that fountain are the top of the school caste, radiating their normie aura.

That’s the courtyard for you. A special area reserved for only the chosen of Seikou.

Well, okay, there’s no actual rules on using it. But the area is naturally occupied by mixed gender friend groups– masters of communication– so it’s hard for others to join in.

The people around the fountain also tend to be very fashionable. Maybe it’s because of the glare from the fountain, but they look like they sparkle.

Other students stare at them from a distance, but just having lunch in the courtyard puts you at the top. You don’t see anyone eating alone here. Most of the groups have three people or more.

And near the fountain, some water, not exactly hygienic, splashes on the people nearby. That’s a negative for me, but the normies still pick that area for some reason. I guess masters of communication have it rough too. Not that I’m happy about their misfortune.

Now I’ve come to visit that courtyard.

And I’m already starting to get cold feet.

The bentō box in my hand is shaking. If it’s not an earthquake, then I’m sure that’s me.

“My stomach’s feeling bad, so I have to leave.”

“Well it’s too late for that. That girl’s already there.”

In a corner of the courtyard, Ayameike-san energetically waves her arm.

“Over heeeere! Narihira-kun, Takawashi-saaaan!”

Takawashi and I were invited to lunch at the courtyard by Ayameike-san.

I didn’t think I’d have the chance to come here my entire high school life.

It’s hard to read Takawashi’s naturally annoyed facial expression, but I’m sure she’s glad to have lunch with a “friend”. (Takawashi doesn’t consider Ayameike-san a friend, so I have to put in quotes.)

“Gure-kun, I’m delighted to be able to have a meal with a comrade in this area.”

Well there you go.

“…but seeing all these normies here really irritates me. I can only think of having them die from food poisoning and becoming fertilizer for the fields…”

So her annoyed face meant she actually was annoyed!

“For now, just be happy to eat in the courtyard! Just pretend the normies are white noise and ignore them!”

“You’re right. If we just stay in a quiet corner with no people, I should be able to handle it. I’m feeling better than usual today. Like a Makushita sumo wrestler who advanced to Jūryō even though he’s not skilled enough, and will go right back to Makushita once he moves to a new area.”

“I don’t get the details, but that thing does happen in sports a lot.”

“There’s wrestlers who become Jūryō in one area but then never even win a Makushita match for a long time after…”

It’s a conversation that’s so far away from the word normie, but if we just kept quiet, we would feel even more out of place.

Ayameike-san’s already sitting down, so we awkwardly find spots to sit, too.

“The weather’s great today! It would be a waste not to eat outside. Tadaa! Some classic octopus-shaped sausages! Here you go, there’s some for everyone!”

As soon as I notice a shadow pass over my head, a red octopus has been placed on top of my lunch.

And of course, I sat myself down away from the others, so she took the effort of standing up and giving it to me.

Takawashi just has stuffed bread and dessert bread, so her octopus was placed inside the bread bag.

The two girls sit by the edge of a flowerbed, and to distance myself, I sit across from them. With how far away I am, I look like some weirdo just staring at a couple of girls eating lunch. I swear I’m part of the group.

“Ayameike-san, have you ever eaten lunch in high normie density areas before?”

“What kind of places?”

“I’m talking about the fountain of course.”

“The fountain? Not really. Also, isn’t Ayameike a bit too hard to say? You can call me Aika!”

For real!? Is this something that will cost me extra in fees!?

“A-A-A-A-A-Aika, sa, san…”

“Just Aika is fine~ Narihira-kun. Hehe 𝅘𝅥𝅮”

I hear Hehe 𝅘𝅥𝅮 in a voice that sounds like the VA of the most popular character this season.

“……”

But of course, as a loner, it’s my silent duty to reject that.

And this is how the milestone event of me calling a girl by her first name quickly ended.

In the first place, being able to talk to a girl is already a huge advancement.

Sometimes you see romcoms where a guy transfers to a girls’ high school through some twist of fate, but in most cases, the guy has so much charisma that it doesn’t seem real. If that really happened, the guy would feel extremely ashamed, and would probably end up bullied by most girls.

“Aika comes here every so often with people Aika’s close with. It’s almost always with a guy, though.”

“In other words, you’ve managed to become friendly with a few people in Seikou. That’s already quite commendable.”

To other people, it almost sounds as silly as praising someone for waking up every morning. But for me and Takawashi, it really is something amazing.

“During the first year, in order to get closer with everyone, Aika invited every person in class to eat here at least once.”

I bet the guys were on edge the whole time. They were probably wondering if the whole thing was some sort of scam. Personally, I probably wouldn’t think it was a scam, but a dream instead.

“Aika hasn’t been doing it recently though, because of all the looks the girls give me…. But with Takawashi-san here, it should be alright…. Umm, Takawashi-san… can I call you by your given name?”

“No.”

A curt two letters of denial.

“Really!? Your name was Enju, right? It’s such a cute name! Okay, why don’t I call you a nickname… like E-rin!”

“Even close relationships need a code of etiquette, Miss Cubus.”

“Miss Cubus, huh? It has a cute ring to it, but… the origin of that nickname is…”

“You’re the type to allow anything as long as it sounds cute, aren’t you?”

She’s trying to get closer to you, so can you at least try to open up a bit!?

Anyway, calling Aika so casually… even in my head it just makes me uneasy. But I have to get used to it–– though I don’t think I need to. She can be pretty tolerant.

If she wasn’t as brash as she is, she’d never be able to live with all the spite directed at her.

“As fellow loners, we’re connected by a strong bond. Please let me call you E-rin.”

“The term bond has held the spot of my most hated word for three years in a row. It just seems like a feel-good word used to smooth things over.”

“Ah. I get that! Aika totally gets that!”

“People who instantly say “I get that” are ranked number 5 on the types of people I hate the most, and people who use their own name in third person are ranked number 6.”

You are way too close-minded.

Though I don’t think Takawashi is angry right now. Even when she’s being her kindest to others, it tends to come out weird. She’s probably just stressed from the occasion of eating lunch in the courtyard.

“Okaaay! I’ll be careful from now on!”

Aika lightly taps her fist on her head.

“With that out of the way, here’s my thanks for the octopus.”

Takawashi splits her melon bread in half and puts a piece on Aika’s bentō.

As much as I’d like to say “Don’t call the sausage an octopus.” or “Don’t put bread on top of rice.”, it really is a genuine exchange of lunches.

Seeing Takawashi, of all people, doing that is really moving. If I were her parent, I’d be crying right now.

If I could read her thoughts right now, it might even say something like (Yes, I did it! I’ve come one step closer to being an adult!). As per usual, she’s averting her gaze, possibly staring at ants on the flowerbed.

“Huh? Half of your melon bread is a whole lot! I think I’m getting too much from you!”

“Miss Cubus, what’s important aren’t material objects. Once you receive something, the scales have already been tipped until you give something in return. That’s why I want to give something even better so I can rest easy knowing I have the upper hand. Such say the writings of Claude Lévi-Strauss.”

“So in the end it is just material objects!”

I finally hit my limit and had to remark on it.

Well I’m sure Takawashi’s happy to not only be eating together with her, but also to receive a share of food. She just wants to show a sign of gratitude.

“Trying to intimidate your opponent by raising your voice is the mentality of a barbarian, Gure-kun.”

“The problem here is how every line of dialogue from you has something messed up in it. And your choice of topics is just weird. I’m guessing Claude Lévi-Strauss is the name of an academic. I don’t think that reference will heat up the conversation… and it’s so far from being a normie…”

“Gure-kun, do you want to become a normie?”

Takawashi’s eyes are as cold as ice. That question was more of an interrogation. But I understand what she’s trying to say.

I want a lot of friends, sure. But it’s not like my goal is to become a normie. I sorta think I might be a bit better than that, considering my grades are a lot higher than theirs.

“Takawashi, I was wrong. I don’t want to become a normie…”

“So long as you understand.”

In a show of acceptance, Takawashi places a piece of melon bread on top of my rice.

If I eat the melon bread along with the rice, the starch and the sugar will mix in a most unsatisfying way, and the bread will just dry out my throat.

“Having lunch with friends really is the best thing♪”

Aika sways her legs back and forth.

“We still aren’t friends. We’re getting to know each other with the intent of becoming friends. If full-fledged friends are like a Jūryō, then our relationship would be like someone making a Sandanme debut.”

“If that’s the case, we’ll probably graduate before you two reach Jūryō…”

“Oh? It seems like you’re starting to understand some things about Sumo.”

“That’s because you’ve made me listen to so much about it.”

I don’t see any laughter in Takawashi’s eyes, but the corner of her mouth seems to have loosened up a bit.

Takawashi might be having the most fun she’s had since she started high school.

I mean, I’m having a lot of fun, too.

This is all because Takawashi made her advance on Aika. Though I was the one she ordered to do the advancing.

Through her own power, Takawashi managed to find a friend (candidate) for herself. That’s something to be proud of.

These octopus sausages sure taste a bit nostalgic. Of course it doesn’t taste like seafood, it tastes like sausage.

“This might be my first time eating here, but I have to say the people here are nothing special.”

Takawashi’s gaze jumps from group to group in the courtyard.

“What exactly are you comparing?”

“Faces.”

It’s the curtness of the answer that makes it all the more impactful.

“With how they act like they own the place, I would have thought some of them would look like potential idols, but I guess I was wrong. They look more like country bumpkins. A lot of the guys lack any sign of intelligence on their faces. You’d probably win out, Gure-kun.”

“I don’t think winning or losing matters here.”

“Of course it does. Male or female, if your looks are well below average, your personality becomes more introverted. It has a huge effect on your lifestyle.”

“That’s a blunt but fair argument.”

I don’t think it’s a good idea to admit it’s correct, so I just give some vague approval.

“E-rin’s such a beauty, and Narihira-kun’s also really cool!”

What Aika says can definitely lift people’s spirits. But in this person’s case, she’d never say anything to make people left out, so I’m not sure if I can believe her.

“That last half is wrong.”

“Why do you have to deny just my part?”

Aika laughs as she holds her cleaned-out bentō.

“Ah! Aika needs to move to the next classroom now! See you later!”

Aika waves her hand adorably and leaves the courtyard. She really is a high school girl from head to toe.

Having had lunch together with a high school girl, I might have just achieved something totally normie. It’s something a lot more difficult than having lunch with guy friends.

“Gure-kun.”

––Takawashi says as her gaze drops to her bread. Man, she really takes a while to eat, huh?

“Whether or not she’s my friend… having friends sure is nice.”

“Sure is.”

The octopus sausage and the melon bread were the most delicious things I ate today.

“I feel so good right now, that I could donate to your fundraiser, Gure-kun.”

“I’m not fundraising anything.”

“Would you like me to make you 1000 paper cranes?”

“I’m perfectly healthy.”

“Being a loner is an illness.”

“You realize I can throw that right back at you, right?”

At that moment, Takawashi stands up.

“That’s exactly why I must keep fighting in order to get rid of this illness. We can’t afford to pause our friend-making efforts. Let’s move on to our next prey.”

I admire your determination, but I wish you’d stop using such inappropriate terms.

★

That being said, it seems she couldn’t find a new candidate right away. My LINE history is filled with messages like [currently searching] [still on it] [just a bit more] [couldn’t find one]. At least her vocabulary improved.

And for me, I still show up at the empty 5th floor classroom to help improve Takawashi’s communication skills.

With Aika here observing, it makes me feel a lot better.

“Once the other person shows they have no hostile intent, showing a smile is extremely important. And I hate to say this, but Takawashi, the look in your eyes is scary. On top of that, you can’t look at the other person’s face. With those alone, it’s enough to intimidate people.”

“You think my glare is the only scary thing about me? You’ve severely underestimated me.”

Why are you trying to be threatening right now…?

“We can manage without you making eye contact, so please put your best effort into smiling. Ayameike-sensei, if you please.”

“Oka~y! Something like this, right!?”

She puts her pointer fingers on her cheeks and breaks into a magnificent smile.

To even use her hands…. She’s way too good at this. But this is perfect for training.

“Okay. Try to imitate that.”

“What she’s doing with her fingers is extremely cringe. That’s impossible for me.”

“Just the facial expression is fine! Even if you’re a bit shy about it!”

Some of Takawashi’s facial muscles might not have seen exercise in a while.

She takes a bit of time, probably because she’s not used to smiling.

“H… how does… this look…?”

––Takawashi says as she crosses her arms.

Well that’s definitely a smile.

A full blown sneer overflowing with contempt.

“No, that’s not it.”

Well, a guy with masochistic tendencies would be really happy to see that.

“Why!? I’m smiling, just like you asked! I only had to imagine a street musician, in front of the train station, in the middle of winter, singing horribly (and not even performing an original, but a cover of an overused song)!”

“So you are trying to sneer at someone!”

Takawashi waves her left hand back and forth.

“You’ve got it all wrong. What I was laughing at was “someone who said they would put in the work to do a major debut, but ended up not even making their own song and using someone else’s, who talked a big game and got lost in their delusion, a failure of a person who can’t face the facts about reality and their future, in other words, someone who covers up their worthlessness by talking about dreams”. I’m not making fun of people who actually put up a fight to reach their dreams.”

“Who the hell cares about that convoluted context!? Can you just smile normally!?“

“How would I ever smile without a reason to smile!?”

Huh? Is that how smiling works? It’s true that people who smile way too often look a bit creepy. I don’t know anymore…

“Even in traditional Japanese music, lyrics like “I can’t smile when I need to” are extremely common. You’ve got the wrong idea if you think you can make someone laugh just like that. That’s as foolish a thought as someone thinking an acting class can teach them to make an audience laugh. To start, why don’t you put some serious thought into how to make the other person smile?”

“Why are you making it sound like I’m downplaying actors!?”

“Gure-kun, you’re not funny at all. You fail.”

“Stop trying to make me the one being judged here. And don’t point at people.”

As our back-and-forth continues, Aika cheers us on with a “Do your best, you two~♪”, with a big smile on her face.

That’s it. That’s the expression I’ve been dying to see…

That afternoon, I truly felt that friends are the most wonderful thing.

The next day, I met Takawashi in class, an aura of negativity surrounding her.

Well that aura’s normally there, but it’s a good deal stronger today.

If I were to talk to Takawashi here, I’d feel bad for Isshinden-san who would be right beside her, so I walk out into the hallway. When we lean against the wall here, there’s no risk of someone walking in between, and it doesn’t look as strange. The 1.5 meter distance we have to maintain in the classroom looks a lot more awkward.

“I’ve been reading this book I borrowed yesterday, called The History of Laughter. I thought I’d deepen my understanding of the phenomenon we call laughter. To be frank, I didn’t really understand much.”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh… it’s the classic overly-studious moron…”

You think anyone’s ever reached an epiphany by reading a stuffy book like that!?

“I’ve just been called a moron by a guy who has lower grades than me. What a shock. How will I ever go on?”

“And now you’re insulting someone while playing the victim. Please don’t.”

And since you’re the top in the year, are you going to be shocked by anyone calling you a moron?

“Well, I already knew your lectures were bad, Gure-kun. Well, humans have strengths and weaknesses, so it’s useless to force people to do things they’re bad at. If I sent you to a mixer for shock therapy, you’d be throwing yourself in the ocean after 30 seconds, wouldn’t you, Gure-kun?”

“I don’t know why this mixer is so close to the ocean. But I get that it’s just not your thing. Let’s go find a friend that even loners can get along with.”

“I’m having a hard time finding a target that has a good chance of becoming our friend.”

With her right hand on her cheek, Takawashi lets out a languid sigh.

I guess you can’t expect it to go without a hitch. In Aika’s case, it was a one-of-a-kind fluke.

“––Narihira, could I… have a second?”

I turn in the direction of the voice. I miss eye contact by just a bit.

I lower my gaze a bit, and I lock eyes with a girl with a short bob haircut.

Wow, she really is short.

“Just now, you were thinking “Wow, she really is short.”, weren’t you?”

That girl, the student council vice president Tatsutagawa Elias, is glaring at me. She’s a bit closer right now than most girls usually stand. Probably so she can go on the offensive.

For one reason or another, for the past five years, Elias glaring at me has become a daily occurrence.

“Well… that’s the truth, so does it even matter?”

“Oh, vice president. Is anything the matter?”

No matter who approaches, Takawashi always takes a confident stance. On the inside though, she probably gets spooked when a stranger comes along.

On the opposite side, vice president Elias maintains a stern expression. It’s not like the school rules are strict enough to see a guy and a girl talking as an improper relationship. But without her talking, it does make you uneasy.

“Since you’re both here, I thought now would be a good time. After school, when you have time, come to the student council room. That’s all.”

Having finished saying that Elias hurriedly leaves.

As she passes right beside me, she leaves a few parting words.

“Narihira, I’m taking you down someday. You better be ready for what’s coming to you.”

I don’t know why she’s always picking a fight with me…. It’s only with me that she doesn’t act like a vice president, but like a delinquent instead. I’m not asking to be her friend. I just want her to go easy on me.

While staring at Elias walking away, a smile runs across Takawashi’s face.

This isn’t a sneer or any smile of mockery. It’s now completely the smile of a villain.

“So I guess we have that option.”

“What option?”

“Our next target is Vice President Tatsutagawa.”

That day, we put our courtyard lunch on hold.

That’s because I was in the simulation room desperately trying to stop Takawashi’s crazy plan.

“What exactly makes you think we have a chance at the vice president? This is on an entirely different level than Aika.”

As I ask that, Takawashi starts to glare at me. Did I strike a nerve there…?

“Oh…? You’ve gotten pretty comfortable with calling her Aika. Are you trying to win the award for Most Overly Familiar Guy?”

The look she’s giving me is telling me I’m nothing more than filth.

“Well… that’s…. She herself asked me to call her Aika, so I can’t really refuse…. To tell you the truth, I feel like I’m getting ahead of myself, too…. Anyway, what about Elias?”

Elias isn’t someone you’d associate with the word “loner“. She always seems to be at the center of a group of people.

Takawashi leans her back by the window. It’s a position where no one can take her by surprise.

“Now you’re calling the vice president by her first name. That’s so gross that it feels like my spine is frozen solid.”

“You’ve got it all wrong! It’s just that I’ve known her since grade school! We just call each other by name!”

I really don’t want it to look like I’m getting ahead of myself, so I try to clear the misunderstanding in a panic. Hopefully we can move the conversation forward now.

“The student council, huh…. That means she’s in a position of authority, with some level of control over the students.”

“Well… I guess you could say that…”

It doesn’t really seem like a lot of authority, but in general, she’s not wrong.

“Those in positions of power always stand alone. If they show too much of themselves, they risk having their secrets leaked and having their weaknesses exposed. That means people in the student council live in isolation!”

From her corner of the room, I can hear Takawashi’s voice getting louder.

“You seriously have a lot of skill in duping people…. Just listening to you is starting to make me think it’s true.”

But there is some truth to what she’s saying.

Elias is always going on about public morals, saying how it’s important to maintain an upstanding school life in order for ability users to reflect positively on society.

This has been her conviction even before she was vice president, ever since she became an ability user. I agree with her on that point. There aren’t any outright sentiments of discrimination against ability users, but there are sometimes people like me who are a bother to others.

“That’s right. When Spodri-girl receives attention from others, she looks down on them.”

“What the heck is Spodri-girl…. Ah, it’s Elias, so you’re calling her a sports drink…”

“Spodri-girl isn’t a bad person. However, standing above people is to be hated by people. And since she works for the student council, she doesn’t have any time to play! That’s why we have to extend our aid to her. Dori-ko is our ally.”

With how talkative Takawashi’s being, it seems she’s really going for this.

She’s slowly been advancing out of her corner.

And she’s been doing a lot of work coaxing me into her plan. Not good, not good…. Getting along with Elias is impossible at best.

I haven’t said this to Takawashi, but I haven’t been on good terms with Elias since the later part of grade school.

The reason I didn’t say it is because Takawashi is likely to respond with “Are you trying to imply you raised a flag with her? Maybe wait until you’re going out before you start bragging about it.”.

The rule that a tsun action is caused by a dere emotion doesn’t actually apply to real life.

I know that, because in the 3rd year of middle school, when we were alone together after class, this is what she said to me.

“Hey, Narihira, I need to tell you something. Is that alright…? Though it might be a little shocking, and it could hurt you.”

“We’ve been together since grade school. And we’re both ability users. You can tell me anything.”

“Okay. Now that I have your approval, I’ll come out and say it.”

“Yeah. Whatever it is, I’ll welcome it with open arms.”

“You’ve always been a giant thorn in my side…. Like an Othello piece in one of the four corners that you can never flip. To put it simply, you’re a nuisance. And since we’re both ability users, we’ll probably go to the same high school…. It’s almost too much to bear.”

You know, I was 60% expecting it to end up in a confession! All I got was being told I’m a nuisance! After knowing someone for so long, of course you’d be shocked and hurt to hear that!

And that’s why making a move on Elias is never going to result in becoming friends.

I have to stop this.

“But she chose to be part of the student council of her own volition. I don’t think you can put her in the same group as loners.”

“What a foolish argument. Whatever the cause, there’s no high schooler who doesn’t want friends. It’s even written in Math textbooks.”

It’s amazing how that textbook got approved.

But the line Takawashi delivered really resonated with me.

––there’s no high schooler that doesn’t want friends.

That might just be a universal truth. Friends aren’t an interest or hobby. They’re a basic necessity to life like the food we eat.

“And I have something more convincing than just theories and delusions–– solid proof.”

Takawashi has the face of a detective cornering the criminal.

“Dori-ko called us out to meet her after class.”

I can’t believe she managed to abbreviate Spodri-girl this fast.

“She has business with us, the two biggest loners in class. This is proof enough.”

“Th-that’s right! I don’t like how you called us the two biggest loners, but the rest makes sense!”

If it was either of us alone, it could be something else. But both of us together is a different matter.

“If there’s anything you want to ask a loner, it’s pretty obvious what that would be. “Isn’t it hard being a loner?” “Can you escape being a loner?” “Can loners get along with each other?” All of these mean the same thing. With this, getting one more friend is a certainty.”

I really felt that one.

“That’s absolutely right! If it’s something that she needs to talk to me and Takawashi about, it can only be that!”

“Gure-kun, today, an enemy becomes a friend.”

At that moment, Takawashi had a slightly smug look on her face. But the fact that I didn’t find it weird at the time shows how high my spirits were.

Once the school day ends, my memory of being insulted in middle school will be overwritten by something better.

As we returned to the classroom after lunch, a message was left in both our seats telling us to come at a certain time. Of course, the location was the student council room.

A paper message seems like a relic from a previous era, but it’s because we don’t have Elias’s contacts.

This definitely isn’t a good thing, but it’s the tendency of loners to be withdrawn and be unable to ask for someone’s contacts.

And with how long we’ve known each other, it makes it even harder to ask for it now. Especially when she holds a grudge against me.

And well, someone from the normie world wouldn’t reach out and ask the contacts of someone from the loner world. Normies are only really friendly with other normies, they don’t have much interest in non-normies. There isn’t much benefit from being friends with them, so I don’t blame them.

This is something loners would understand, but… being total strangers is a lot more comfortable than being a half-baked acquaintance. For example, if you meet someone from your class on a weekend, it’s a lot less stressful if it’s someone you can ignore or pretend you don’t know.

Takawashi messages me on LINE in the middle of class.

[If we go at the appointed time, I’m sure that means Dori-ko will be the only one there.]

[I’m pretty sure giving someone a nickname and forcing it on them is a form of harassment…]

★

After school, we spend about 15 minutes killing time in the simulation room.

Because she couldn’t be with us at lunch, Aika came to greet us.

“The Vice President is going to be a new member? That’s great! With this, Hitoken will have 4 members now! This is our chance to become officially recognized!”

––Aika says as she rocks her legs back and forth on her chair. You can almost see under her skirt. As per usual, she’s cunningly cute today.

“Wait a second…. What’s this “Hitoken”?”

“It’s the abbreviation for the Human Relations Research Club…”

I can’t believe it. That sloppily made-up scenario we used in soliciting Aika is still in effect!?

“That’s right. It’ll be a lot easier to recruit her if we present ourselves as an organization to join.”

Takawashi sits on one of the desks grouped up in the back. You can almost see under her skirt, too.

I think it’s pretty tough to join a group called the Human Relations Research Club though.

A group like that would definitely only have people with problems with Human Relationships.

“I hate to bring this up now, but we’re talking about the vice president here. She could just reject us because she can’t divide her time between a club and her position.”

On paper, it’s not against the rules for a student council member to join a club, but I don’t think any of them seriously participate in one.

“That’s fine as it is. Having someone of that status as a friend is already valuable. We could even leave the issue of her personality for later.”

I wish you’d see the issues in your personality first.

“Well, a research club with that many members should be enough to be made official.”

“Aika doesn’t think it’s about whether or not we’re officially recognized. As long as we believe we’re part of the Human Research Relations Club, doesn’t that already make it genuine?”

This person’s gonna end up establishing a really suspicious company someday.

“Well, it’s about time to go. We’ll let Dori-ko know of the noble intentions and the elaborate network of people that the Human Relations Research Club boasts of.”

Takawashi stands up and goes out of her way to write “Human Relations Research Club” on the blackboard.

The letters are unbelievably rounded. It’s a font that doesn’t understand the concept of angles.

“Takawashi… I didn’t know your handwriting was this cute…”

“So what…? Do you have a problem with it…?”

You can’t see it on her face, but her faintly shaking hands suggest that she’s conscious of it.

But there’s also a strange feeling of motivation, like she’s willing to fight for it.

If a random person came here after class and saw these letters, they’d probably leave from how creepy it makes everything look. So I guess it’s a good tool to ward off strangers.

“I don’t see any noble intentions here, and our network is just 3 people using LINE.”

“There’s no shape more secure than a triangle.”

“Can you stop using silly arguments to talk your way out of everything!?”

Only the two of us were told to come meet Elias, so Aika waves us off with a “See you la~ter!”.

“Once we have Dori-ko in the bag, everything will start to change rapidly. That’s because we’ll have the power of the vice president on our side.”

––Takawashi says as we make our way down the stairs. To get to the student council room, you have to go all the way down to the 2nd floor and cross over to the adjacent building.

“I don’t think we’ll be holding that power, but the rest is about right.”

“That’s just how crucial friends are to a high schooler. Isolation takes its toll on people. That’s why we must help out Dori-ko.”

“I never thought I’d hear you voice any intent of helping other people.”

I want to honestly commend her for that. Showing the capability of being thoughtful about others shows that you have the mental strength to escape the mindset of a loner.

“At the very least, I’d like to create a world which prioritizes letting us enjoy life over the normies.”

I can’t see Takawashi’s face while she’s walking ahead of me, but I’m sure that wasn’t a joke.

“We take studying seriously. We live life earnestly. But we were forced to have our powers. Being forced into the shadows simply because of that is completely unreasonable.”

I’m sure Takawashi doesn’t see me, but I’m nodding my head over and over.

“That’s right. We need to receive our just rewards.”

Takawashi comes to a stop at the 2nd floor landing.

“Once we enter, we need to get in a good position. I can endure a bit of your Drain. Once we get in, I’ll take the left. Stand near me, but not too close, so we can put pressure on her.”

“I see you’re on the offensive, as usual…. But okay, I’ll go with that plan.”

“We’re doing the right thing. In order for us to make friends, you need to properly posture yourself, just this once.”

I’m somehow starting to enjoy getting caught up in all of Takawashi’s smooth talk.

You know, I guess it’s fine to believe her.

If I just believe in Takawashi, everything will go smoothly. It’s because of her that I met Aika.

It might be something that normies would scoff at, but for us, it’s a rare taste of actual success.

Tatsutagawa Elias… I could be the one to save you.

I’ve always endured the pain of being a loner. That’s why I know exactly what that pain feels like.

The pain of being leftover when the class is told to split into groups of two… the feeling of genuinely hoping that the school field trip would be canceled… I know them all too well.

Dammit, what the hell even is a school field trip!? Isn’t school supposed to be about studying and learning!? All we did was go on a trip to Kyōto! While everyone left to hang out with people in different rooms, I was left alone to guard a room meant for 5 people!

Not good…. I got lost peering into the gloom of middle school. When you stare into the abyss, it stares right back at you.

We line up in front of the door. Just this once.

I briskly open the student council room door. Takawashi veers to the left.

I lock eyes with Elias, who’s dealing with a stack of documents in the back.

“Elias, you can leave all your human relation problems to me!”

“Narihira, I’m amazed you have the audacity to say that after coming all the way here.”

I can see the hostility on Elias’s face. Just like Takawashi, I don’t think she ever smiles in front of me. Though she does laugh at me a lot.

But besides that, this doesn’t seem to be leading to a heart-to-heart talk about her problems….

“Well it’s not wrong that this is a problem only you two can solve, and you could definitely say it’s something that bothers me.”

As I peek over to Takawashi on my left, she coughs in a deliberate manner.

“Go on, say something.” is what I think she’s trying to say.

The outlook here seems pretty rough. With just me and Elias talking, the conversation isn’t going anywhere good.

Takawashi nods slightly.

Thank goodness, she seems to get it.

“Hey, Dori-ko––”

“This isn’t the time for you to use nicknames!“

That’ll just ruin anything you’re trying to say!

“…oh…? I see… from the point of view of our year’s top scorer, I’m… just someone who deserves to be called a stupid nickname…. By the way, is Dori supposed to mean drink or drill…?”

“The former.”

Elias does her best to feign composure, but her right hand on her cheek betrays the bit of damage she took. What the hell are you doing, Takawashi!? This isn’t some mission to eradicate all enemies. Why are you acting like we have to pounce on her before she puts up her defense?

“Elias, that was just a misunderstanding! Please forget about it!”

“Giving someone a nickname is one of the ways I show affection. It’s sad to see it didn’t work.”

“That’s all too convenient of an explanation for what you just did!“

We just face-planted at the starting line.

Okay, there’s still gotta be a way to salvage this. They say if you can’t get along with someone in April, you can try again in May… …and we’d probably fail again since we’re both loners….

“Vice president, if there’s anything that’s troubling you, the Human Relations Research Club is here to help. Since its inception, that has been the tradition for 65 years.”

That history’s even older than the school! It hasn’t even been 50 years yet!

“I see when you don’t look someone in the eye, you’re probably lying.”

It was an obvious lie, but she’s not making eye contact because of her ability. But since it’s being kept a secret, it makes sense for Elias to come to that conclusion.

Takawashi continues talking like she didn’t hear that. (Maybe she really doesn’t care about it.)

She speaks calmly, as if she really were part of a group with a tradition spanning 65 years.

“You probably already know this, vice president, but I and Gure… Hagure-kun have no friends. That’s exactly why we’re completely genuine in our intent to pull anyone out of this situation. We’d never turn away someone in need of our aid. Please believe me when I say that.”

While this conversation is going on, Takawshi makes quick glances at Elias in her best effort to make eye contact.

Even though she can’t hold eye contact, she manages to express her intent of conversing with Elias.

“I see…. It seems Narihira managed to find himself a good ally. I was wrong in thinking that the only person he’d manage to hold a conversation with would be an imaginary friend.”

I know we’ve known each other since grade school, but that’s way too brutal.

The expression on Elias’s face softens.

Yes, this is a good direction we’re going in. All it needs is one little push. I take half a step forward.

“Okay! Ask the Human Relations Research Club anything you want!”

“I understand. I think I can frankly speak my mind now.”

Whether it’s your relationship with the rest of the student council, or how you get along with people in class. You can tell us anything!

“Please stop your unauthorized use of empty classrooms immediately.”

My eyes turn into pinholes.

“Wha… so we were called here because…”

“That’s right. For crying out loud, Narihira, why do you always keep doing things that piss me off!?”

Elias exclaims this with her mouth wide open, a sharp canine tooth peeking out.

“I’ve received reports of you using a room on the 5th floor after class, without permission. I could turn a blind eye if it was just during lunch break, but doing it so frequently after class is going to get me in trouble if you don’t get permission!”

“We’re just having a chat there, it should be fine. And it’s not being used. Stop being so stingy, Dori-ko.”

Takawashi instantly fires back with an argument. For a loner, she sure can be impulsive.

For some reason, Elias’s cheeks become a bit redder, and she hangs her head.

Wait… maybe she doesn’t like the fact that Takawashi and I are spending time together? Could this be that type of jealousy?

“A guy and a girl after school, cooping themselves up in an empty room on the highest floor… isn’t that a public morals issue…? Take a hint, will you?”

“I’m sorry, that’s my fault…”

From a stranger’s perspective, it would definitely look suspicious. I should have known…

And for some reason, Takawashi has her left hand pressed onto her lips.

It seems she didn’t think about that. I can tell without her saying anything.

“That’s absolutely unthinkable… what you’re implying is serious slander…. This can only be forgiven by pouring gasoline all over someone and setting them on fire. That someone being Gure-kun.”

Please stop reacting like you’ve been offended instead of being embarrassed. And please stop suggesting outcomes where I have to die.

“If you really need to use it, please submit a formal request. Though I don’t think the Human Relations Research Club would be approved, both in terms of member count and activity content.”

Elias puts her elbows on her desk and rests her head in her hands. She looks extremely bored.

Okay, wait. She could still be hiding what she’s really feeling. As someone who’s known her this long, I need to try to get through to her!

“Elias, do you have any problems interacting with people?”

“I don’t.”

An instant dismissal. Well, I guess this means our mission failed.

“By the way, why do the two of you think I have any problems with human relations?”

“As the vice president, you’re surely busy, and you have the personality of someone that would abuse that power, so I thought you wouldn’t have any friends.”

If you’re gonna be that blunt about it, you could’ve skipped the whole 65-year tradition nonsense! Please stop doing things that just add oil to the fire!

“Even if it’s just in name, would you become a member of our group? We’re in need of more people.”

“I refuse. And considering how shady your club sounds, I’d rather do my best to crush it.”

That’s horrible!

“Elias, we’re just some innocent, harmless loners. You don’t have to go out of your way to get rid of us.”

“Narihira, don’t you know the old saying? “If someone’s being bullied, then some fault must lie with them.”“

“That saying doesn’t exist! Don’t try to use logic that justifies the actions of the bully!”

“Anyway, this isn’t bullying. I truly hate you, but I have no plans to punish you based on my personal grudge.”

Elias glares at me once again. She looks like a feral cat that doesn’t trust humans.

Huh…? Does she just purely hate me…?

What exactly have I done for this to happen?

“Don’t tell me, could you have licked Dori-ko’s recorder in middle school?”

“Hell no! I’d remember doing something like that!”

“Well, did you steal her recorder?”

The gravity of recorder-related crimes seems to be a lot more severe.

But this situation might just be my chance.

Elias has stated plainly that she hates me. If I understand why, I can try to fix it.

If my reputation’s hit rock bottom, then it can only go up from here.

“Elias, if there’s anything I’ve ever done to hurt you… please tell me. I’ll apologize for it.”

With my ability, it isn’t impossible for me to hurt people without me knowing.

Ever since I got this power in grade school, I’ve always had to take other people into consideration.

But no matter how much care I put into it, the chance of hurting people is never zero.

There’s probably people who understand that I can’t control my power, and just endure it in silence.

Even just knowing that possibility exists is heartbreaking. If I knew exactly how much I’ve troubled others, I’d probably go mad.

“Okay. If you’re really saying that, then I’ve got no reason to hide it.”

Elias takes her elbows off her desk and places her hands on her lap.

I’m sure that’s Elias’s way of showing a bit of respect to us.

“Narihira, I used to look up to you. No, putting it in the past tense is being dishonest. Even now, I’m enamored.”

Elias’s eyes don’t move even the tiniest bit away from my face. And hearing those words, I can only keep still and stare back.

Is this… an undeniable confession of love!?

I see the loneliness in Elias’s eyes. Not a trace of warmth, only sorrow fills them.

Wait, hold on a second. I had my share of misunderstandings with Aika. However… with Elias, there aren’t any special abilities that could be muddying this up….

Could I be on the money this time? To think, my excruciating high school life as a loner could have been hiding a flag like this….

That’s right, this is what I’ve endured all those days of isolation for.

Just like Takawashi said, us loners deserve our just rewards.

Fortune and misfortune are tightly intertwined. Now that I’ve done my time as a loner, the time has come for me to become a normie!

Let’s go out, Elias! Until you finish your duties as vice president, I’ll be waiting patiently for you!

“Narihira, I’ve fallen for that battle-oriented special ability of yours.”

Using that extremely misleading phrasing in front of a guy should be a crime.

Beside me, Takawashi is choking up with laughter. Man, I really was that obvious, huh?

“Thanks for giving my abs a workout, Gure-kun.”

“Why do you only thank me when I clearly don’t want it?”

“By the way, just as a general observation, but as long as you remain unpopular, you’re probably going to keep thinking any girl that talks to you is into you.”

“…Just pour gasoline on me and light me on fire.”

Having an ally perform a follow-up attack on you does an immense amount of damage…

Elias doesn’t fully understand what’s going on, and just sits there dumbfounded. Yeah, as far as I can tell, Elias has never been involved in any talks about love. At the very least, spare me the misery of Elias finding out…

“Anyway, what’s so good about my ability?”

When I ride the train, I have to put so much care into what I’m doing. Switching up trains at every station, intentionally choosing to ride on the non-express trains, it’s all extremely tiring.

Elias stands up, and walks to the corner of the room to turn on the faucet there.

I know her ability has something to do with water, but I’m still not exactly clear on what its effect is. That’s because there’s not a lot of chances to see it at work.

She puts water into a glass, and after some time passes, she pours 70% of it into another glass.

She empties the water from the original glass, and fills it from the faucet again. And once again, she puts 70% of it into a different glass.

I’m not sure what’s happening. Some kind of magic trick?

“Here. The two of you, drink this.”

She hands us the glasses filled with tap water.

“Any poison…?”

“Is there any benefit to me throwing my life away to kill someone like you?”

With how long she’s seen me as an enemy, she’s definitely honed her sharp tongue.

Anyway, let’s just drink it.

“This tap water tastes like what you’d think mountain spring water would taste like!”

“Blegh! This tastes like it’s packed with all sorts of nasty chemicals!”

Takawashi and I expressed our shock at the same time. And after hearing each others’ reaction, we’re shocked again.

“Wait a second! How the hell is this supposed to taste like spring water!?”

“Gure-kun, if you think this water tastes like chemicals, are you supposed to be some sort of water connoisseur?

“It’s simple. In Takawashi’s glass, I prepared the most delicious water. And in Narihira’s glass, I prepared the lowest quality water. This is the power of a level 5 ability user.”

While staying seated, Elias puffs out her chest. Since it’s already big, her uniform gets strained even more.

“My ability is Water Purity Manipulation–– purifying water by separating the good parts from the impurities. In Takawashi’s water, I moved all the impurities to the bottom, leaving the top with only delicious water. For Narihira it was the opposite.”

“For how arrogant you’re being, it’s pretty plain.”

Takawashi speaks her mind freely.

It seems she struck a nerve, as a twitch ran through Elias’s temple.

“Yes, it’s plain. It’s completely plain. However, I’ve already received offers from 3 drinking water suppliers, and 7 major breweries. And once I enter a company, I’ll have a guaranteed yearly salary of 20 million yen. And college science departments have told me that even if I get a 0 on the entrance exam, they’d still accept me.”

“Winning at life doesn’t even begin to describe you!”

So this is an ability user with a Contribution Level of 5!

Her college exams and job search are already accounted for. I don’t think she even needs to take her student council position seriously!

“My special ability is unmistakably a benefit to the world. A human’s body is 70% water. An ability like mine that deals with that 70% is almost unparalleled. Just by being alive, people will never stop wanting or needing me. Bwahahahaha! Hahahahaha!”

Goddammit! I’m jealous enough to cry tears of blood right now!

She’s the polar opposite of me!

But after a while, her gloating laughter comes to a stop, and––

You can see gloom wash over Elias’s face.

“But… I’ve never been satisfied with any of this.”

“Your greed knows no limits.”

“Shut up.”

Takawashi may have said it, but for some reason she’s glaring at me.

“…All I wanted… was to become an ally of justice…”

Something I never expected happened. Tears flow out of Elias’s eyes.

I never thought Elias would be one to cry, but that’s what she’s doing right now.

“Narihira, when you got your drain ability, I was jealous. I was so jealous, I couldn’t stand it. I even wished for Santa Claus to give that power to me.”

“That… that means you still believed in Santa Claus in the 5th grade.”

“Shut up! How’s it any different from praying at a shrine for a passing grade!?”

I see… I guess that… sort of makes sense? I can’t blame her for it.

“That’s why I was so happy when I awakened to my ability. In middle school, only my science experiment had a different result. I learned later that it was because of my ability. “With this, I’ll become someone who can beat up evildoers!”“

I guess without an event like that, you wouldn’t notice you had that ability.

“But how am I supposed to win by purifying water…!? How am I supposed to save people from danger…!?”

BAM! Elias slams her fist angrily on the table.

And then she goes “Ow…”, and rubs her hand. Well, that’s what you get.

“This power’s only good for becoming R&D in a major company! I’m not living so I can have a 20 million yearly salary!”

“Hey! Quit bragging about how lucky you are!”

I’m really starting to get pissed off listening to this.

Having a secure job ready for you is already a blessing. Just thank God and Buddha for how good your life is!

“I’ve got to live with going through each day trying not to harm people! Do you know how much of a handicap that is!? Forget 20 million yen, I don’t know how many places could even hire someone like me!”

Saying that out loud scares me. Can I even find an upstanding company to hire me…?

The thought is terrifying, so I’ll focus on getting to college for now….

“That’s right. In Gure-kun’s case, he’s not an ally of justice. He’s more like a villain that stands in justice’s way. Stealing the energy of others isn’t a power one of the heroes would have.”

I’m pretty sure she’s saying terrible things about me, but for just this once, I won’t complain. What she’s saying is exactly right.

“Well if you look like a villain, that just means you’re able to fight! That’s something to be jealous about!”

“Fight? Where am I supposed to fight!? Just by standing I’m already attacking my opponent. I can’t participate in martial arts! Or any of the other sports clubs!”

“There’s gotta be one somewhere! Like a tournament for ability users! You know, like the ones in all the mangas!”

“This isn’t a manga! This is real life! An ability user like you is going to be a lot more successful!

It’s been so long since I’ve felt this outraged. How are you playing the victim with all that you’ve been given!?

“Alright, alright.”

Takawashi claps her hands twice.

“The grass is always greener on the other side. Can we mark this match down as a draw?”

Well, I’m pretty sure I’ve got a desert instead of grass, but…

“Dori-ko, starting today, we’ll have 3 people using the 5th floor classroom. With 3 people, it shouldn’t start any strange rumors, right?”

“Well, I guess that’s right… However, please obtain permission to use the classroom.”

Takawashi’s argument quickly gets Elias to concede. It’s been a while since I’ve been reminded of how good Takawashi’s performance at school is. Now that I think about it, aside from being a loner, this person’s also a winner in life.

“Once we get more people, we’ll file a formal request from the student council.”

“Well if you keep doing strange activities, it probably won’t be approved. And stop calling me Dori-ko.”

“Well, since you’re in a position of authority… how about Control Freak–”

“…please call me Dori-ko instead.”

Elias just threw in the towel.

And the conversation is over.

I guess we jumped to conclusions. Barely anyone would call someone out to ask for help making friends.

There’s nothing more to do here, so we start heading out the room.

“Ah, wait just a second.”

Elias sticks out her right hand.

“You said you’ve got no friends, but I still don’t understand why Takawashi-san’s a loner. Sure, she’s got a bad mouth and a bad personality, but is that enough to stop her from making friends?”

“There’s Ōzeki that have beaten every Yokozuna but have never won a title. In this world, there are things that you can’t understand with just reasoning, and the fact of the matter is that I have no friends.”

Takawashi doesn’t turn towards Elias while saying this.

“But don’t you have a friend in Narihira right now?”

It’s a rare occasion that I want to give my thanks to Elias. That’s right. I’m always working together with Takawashi.

“…who knows?”

Instead of sounding cold, Takawashi’s manner just now had a hint of loneliness to it.

“…with how long I’ve been without friends, I’m not sure what a friend is anymore.”

I don’t know what’s appropriate to say at this moment, so I keep silent. But what I really want to express is how sad this is.

I really wanted to assure her that we’re friends.

It’s just become part of my nature to say “I’m not sure”. And it’s part of Takawashi’s nature to worry about things. She’d never say something like “Hey, admit that we’re friends!”.

I go on ahead and leave the student council room. Once Takawashi is out, I start walking.

When Takawashi’s feeling down, she looks like she’s not standing as tall as she usually is.

“Are you mad that I didn’t admit that we’re friends?”

“We’re just two people bound by an alliance, after all. We never ordered each other to become friends.”

I’m not angry, so that’s definitely not a lie.

“I guess that’s right.”

I walk, and walk, and walk.

And from a distance a few meters behind me, I’m sure Takawashi is following.

If we could be able to stand beside each other, I wonder if it would bring us closer together.

Aika Ayameike

Aika can never really tell who loves Aika for real and who doesn’t.

Contribution Level: 1
Ability Name: Charm

Student Notes:

• Is a natural flirt. The fact that she doesn’t do it on purpose is incredibly worrying.
• Because of her ability, people call her a “Succubus” behind her back.
• Increases others’ feelings of affection towards her twenty-fold. It works as soon as someone feels affection for her. Constantly active ability.

Special Ability Evaluation:

• Societal Benefit: E
• Practicality: E
• Duration: D
• Danger: C
• Potential: E
• Range: B

Elias Tatsutagawa

All I wanted was to become an ally of justice…

Contribution Level: 5
Ability Name: Water Purity Manipulation

Student Notes:

• The Student Council Vice President. Is an upstanding honor student, but lacks common sense in strange places.
• Has known Narihira for a long time, but for some reason views him as an enemy.
• Purifies water and separates it into clean and impure parts. Consciously activated ability.

Special Ability Evaluation:

• Societal Benefit: A
• Practicality: A
• Duration: A
• Danger: E
• Potential: A
• Range: C