Chapter 32: Can't Help But Say It
With a bruise plastered on my face, I head to class.
As I enter the classroom, my classmates look at me with shocked faces.
'Tachibana, what happened to your face?'
A girl sitting next to me, who rarely speaks, struck up a conversation.
'A lot happened.'
'You were injured last week too, but it looks worse than yesterday, doesn't it?'
(I know.)
I wave my hand dismissively, and the girl falls silent.
Kashii-san also enters the classroom.
She looks at me and is clearly shocked as well.
(Since we talked yesterday, is it fine?)
Then, when Aoi comes in, the class buzzes with murmurs. Aoi's face looks terrible too.
But no one approaches him. When our eyes meet, he turns red, probably remembering yesterday's tension and squirming in embarrassment this morning.
Fifteen minutes before morning homeroom starts, Kashii-san stands at the podium, drawing everyone's attention.
'Last night, I received a report from other students that Aoi-kun and Tachibana-kun were fighting. Is that true, you two?'
'We did.'
'Yeah, we did.'
'Why? Both of you are injured like that! School isn't a boxing ring!'
From there, Kashii-san's lecture begins.
Freedom doesn't mean doing whatever you want, violence leads to injuries and incidents, and it worries your family. It's obvious, but I want you to have compassion for others. I care about all of you, so I don't want to see you hurting each other.
That's why I absolutely can't tolerate teasing, bullying, or violence that hurts both heart and body.
If there's anything, I'll do whatever I can, so please tell me.
I thought Kashii-san would give a more polished speech, but today it's raw, like she's spilling her true feelings, a speech that hits with her heart.
'Both of you, absolutely no more fighting! As punishment, you two will take out the class trash together for two months!'
(That's different from what she said; it was supposed to be one month.)
Well, no helping it. Just when I thought I had no choice, Aoi opened his mouth.
Aoi's face looked calm, as if a burden had been lifted.
'...I want you to listen. It's not just about the fight. I... I did things to Tachibana and Tanaka and the others...'
There was about a three-second hesitation.
'...Teasing... no, I bullied them... I hurt them, insulted them, and used violence.'
The class falls silent. He didn't need to say that much. If he takes on the role of preventing bullying from now on, we could let the past go based on how he interacts moving forward. Saying this in front of everyone will make it a problem!
I tried to stop him.
'Tachibana! Let me say it. I know an apology won't fix it, but...'
Bowing deeply to me, Aoi apologized.
He also apologized to Tanaka and Sarakata-kun, bowing deeply to each of them one by one.
It turned into a huge issue.
The teacher, who must have been listening midway, came into the classroom right away, and the first period became self-study.
Aoi, myself, and the three quieter guys were each questioned individually.
Aoi insisted it was all his doing and didn't say a word about the others who helped with the bullying.
The Sotomachi group and others were on edge, probably thinking they might be questioned as accomplices, but there was a different, funeral-like atmosphere unlike usual.
As the victims, we said we'd judge based on Aoi's future actions but accepted his apology for now. We conveyed that we didn't want severe punishment.
Since the victims didn't seek harsh punishment and the school likely didn't want to blow up the incident, they saw enough remorse in Aoi, especially since he reported it himself.
Perhaps rushing to a conclusion, the decision was made the next day, and Aoi received a three-day suspension. I got off with a warning since there was bullying involved, and many witnessed me being targeted, even though I fought too.
Maybe because this issue was pressed from various sides, our conflict-avoidant homeroom teacher looked pale. That, at least, felt satisfying.
Initially, the plan was to use the fight incident, Kashii-san's public judgment, and her speech to push an anti-bullying message and create a trend against bullying. But since Aoi came forward himself, the incident spread across the school instantly, making teachers and students more sensitive to such issues. Even small teasing in classes or club activities became unacceptable, and bullying or teasing at school quickly went underground.
After school, I went to meet the boys in my class. I spoke a little about my feelings one-on-one with those I could talk to at school. For those I couldn't talk to at school, I visited the ones whose houses I knew, everyone except Koishi (I don't know Sotomachi's since he transferred here three years ago).
About half of them said they didn't want to tease in the first place. The other half seemed scared of me. But overall, they agreed.
I couldn't approach the girls, so I asked Kashii-san for help.
But I kind of get it. Since we're human, when the power balance shifts or an incident happens, teasing and bullying might flare up again quickly.
Even so, a class without that is more peaceful, and the worries of the girl I like would decrease, so it's pretty good, right?
The school, now sensitive to teasing and bullying, feels a bit stifling, but compared to when I was being teased, it's stress-free.
Seeing Kashii-san's relieved face felt like the best reward.
———————
After a long day, Aoi finally heads home.
Though it was his own doing, the repeated questioning had understandably worn him out.
He had told his parents yesterday and got severely scolded, but they were surprised he came forward on his own.
(It's not just me; I've caused trouble for my parents too.)
While thinking about such things and walking, he bumped into Sotomachi at the shoe lockers.
'...'
'...'
There was no conversation between the two who had been allies until yesterday.
'...I bullied them... It's my responsibility, mine alone.'
Aoi muttered flatly to Sotomachi without making eye contact, neither indebting him nor apologizing.
'...Well, that's obvious, isn't it...'
The Sotomachi group was involved in the bullying, and it's impossible that Sotomachi had nothing to do with it, but due to his high credibility up until now, insufficient evidence, and Aoi's insistence that it was only him, Sotomachi wasn't questioned.
For the first time, Aoi looked directly at Sotomachi and spoke.
'Tachibana, he wasn't just some weakling follower of Atsuki, all talk and no action like you said.'
Without making eye contact, Sotomachi spoke while putting on his shoes.
'That's why I sent you at him, isn't it?'
Here, for the first time, Sotomachi looked at Aoi and spoke.
'Don't talk to me anymore.'
Without even a glance, Sotomachi walked away.
They were friends, or at least he thought they were. He had a feeling it would come to this, but he also thought, maybe? With a bitter smile, Aoi left the school building too.
What kind of punishment will come down from tomorrow onward? How will everyone look at me?
(Having no allies at school feels this unsettling. What did Tachibana feel like...?)
Feeling guilt, disgust, and shame over what he'd done, long after the fact, Aoi passed through the gate.
Just outside the gate, from the second-floor window of a house three doors down, Kousuke and Tachibana were waving, calling out, "Over here!"
When he confessed his sins, he felt anxious but had no regrets.
To Aoi's eyes, the sky outside the gate looked vast.