Chapter 102: Words Return
The Center Exam ended, and the Senpais barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief before they all got busy again preparing for the second selection in their own ways.
Depending on whether it was national, public, or private universities, the exam methods and subjects were different by department.
Watching the Senpais pushing themselves with plans and studying, I really felt respect for them...
...But there's a Senpai here I just can't respect...
You know who! Sahori-senpai.
Unlike the other Third-Years, Sahori-senpai, who got in by recommendation, finished his commemorative exam and is now totally free.
He's in a super free state, going around teasing people everywhere and getting on everyone's nerves.
Especially among the Third-Years in our year, he's hated like poison and snakes.
"Get locked up until exams are over!"
"Give our money back!"
"You're getting in the way of our studying!"
Even though they yell at him like that,
Sahori: "My exams are over!!"
"If I'd known it'd be like this, maybe I should've studied harder and aimed for a better university I couldn't get into by recommendation?"
He goes around saying stuff like that and apparently is genuinely hated.
On his own self-grading, he just barely made the minimum line. Honestly, if you can scrape by with a last-minute cramming job, maybe try a little harder, but apparently Sahori heard from someone that as long as you hit the minimum for recommendations, you're fine.
Maybe because he's bored, he pops by the basketball club a lot. And he messes with Airi-senpai and gets yelled at.
After that, he heads to the girls' basketball club and tries to hit on Nagase-san.
Even Nagase-san, who's good with people, finds it exhausting.
Our eyes meet all the time.
Especially when I'm talking with Airi-senpai about basketball or getting technique advice, I can feel the girls' basketball club staring holes through me. I hate it.
Because Sahori-senpai's interruptions are so out of hand,
Captain: "...If you've got that much free time, why not practice with us?"
Let's do some practical drills? Or push your body with some physical training?
It fires up that vain side of Sahori that doesn't want to look pathetic—
The message "Don't come!" gets sent to him by all the underclassmen.
Sahori: "Hurry up and catch up, okay? ...All the way to where I am?"
And just like that, after getting us all annoyed, Sahori-senpai left.
Nagase-san gave me a significant glance.
I was curious, so I asked about it after practice.
"...Hey? What was that? That look you gave him?"
Nagase-san tilted her head, looking genuinely confused.
Nagase: "...Lately, he's been saying 'the eyes say more than the mouth'... He was drunk, though...? I seriously don't get it."
"...Is he on drugs or something?"
Nagase: "It's not even funny... but you know, 'kusu' means 'drug'...?"
"...."
Nagase-san puffed herself up, face bright red.
Nagase: "Kousuke-kun? Times like this, you're supposed to laugh, you know?"
"...I can't, but you're really going through it..."
Nagase: "...There are people who call this being popular... I wish they'd take a good look..."
I thought, even beautiful and popular people have their own struggles.
I hope she won't get bothered by him anymore. We talked about that as we walked partway home together.
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The next day,
Girl: "You know Sahori? That Third-Year?"
Guy: "Hey! Sahori, get out here!"
A burly man with a trashy girl clinging to him was shouting in front of the Hokusho High School gate...
What the heck?! In the middle of this busy season?! The Third-Years looked seriously annoyed.
The underclassmen just stared wide-eyed.
Guy: "Hey! I know you're there!"
Girl: "Me! Sahori did it to me!"
Murmurs!
"Sahori's got gross taste..."
"He was bragging about college girls or whatever."
"This is going to ruin the school's reputation..."
The whole school was buzzing with rumors.
And then, out bursts Sahori-senpai!
Sahori: "N-n-n-not here? Wh-why? Let's move to another location?"
Guy: "You! With my honey... How dare you...!"
Girl: "...I...! He got me drunk...! Outdoors...!"
The girl broke down crying in a totally fake way, and the guy comforted her just as fake.
Sahori wanted to move the scene somewhere else no matter what, while the guy wanted to make a huge fuss.
Naturally, a teacher got involved.
Teacher: "...Do you have some business with one of our students?"
The student guidance teacher, PE teacher, and even the vice principal came out and ordered the students to disperse.
The guy and girl hesitated, insisting they just wanted to talk to Sahori,
Vice Principal: "Now that you've caused such a scene and attracted so much attention, we can't just let it go. Can you tell us everything?"
All the extra security guards brought in since the Pig Motor incident got mobilized,
The guy, girl, Sahori, and the teachers all got escorted to the reception room.
By the next day, the story was all over school.
Nagase-san told me what she'd heard in the student council.
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Just as expected, it was a honey trap.
Apparently, they'd already had run-ins with the police before.
The teachers dug into what happened, and since they tried to get money and valuables out of Sahori, the police were called.
They'd already been on the police's radar, and the guy and girl were arrested.
They kept insisting they only wanted to talk to Sahori, but then they showed photos of Sahori and the girl smoking and drinking together, photos of them outdoors, and even after-the-fact photos.
Apparently, they hinted at settling things with money.
When Sahori found out it was a honey trap and that they were repeat offenders,
Sahori: "...Thank God... I'm so glad it was just a honey trap...! Teacher! I was so scared!"
He apparently hugged the PE teacher and cried manly tears.
PE Teacher: "...Good for you, Sahori... but you're still in trouble, right?"
Sahori: "Huh? What do you mean?"
Vice Principal: "Sahori-kun. Your designated school recommendation is revoked."
Sahori-senpai panics! Why?!
Sahori: "What are you talking about?! That was a money-grabbing honey trap! I'm the victim!"
The student guidance teacher sighed and said,
Teacher: "Sahori, didn't those two show you photos on their phones of what happened at the time?"
Sahori: "...Uh, yeah."
Teacher: "...Smoking while drinking, inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex, indecent exposure. Plus, this whole honey trap scandal, right?"
Sahori's face turned pale,
Sahori: "...Uh, uh."
Vice Principal: "Even if they are criminals, you know? I'll let you know your punishment later, but there's no way we can recommend a student like that. ...Try again next year, okay?"
Sahori Toshin's designated school recommendation revoked!
Plus, suspended pending further discipline from the school!
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That's pretty much how it went.
"...What the heck is he doing... I'm so dumbfounded I can't even speak... If he was in a club, this would be the kind of scandal that'd get him banned from competitions."
Nagase-san sighed as she spoke,
Nagase: "The last thing Sahori-senpai said, you know? Sahori: 'My entrance exams are over....'"
That's what he said.
"...Is this what they call kotodama? For things to turn out exactly the way he kept saying them..."
They say that words spoken aloud hold a soul.
Senpai's exams were over, and it's not like he got a chance to study and apply to a university higher than the one he was recommended for.
Losing a designated school recommendation at this time of year really hurts... But what's going to happen with his punishment?
Suspension? Expulsion...? If the other party is a criminal, maybe it won't go that far? Repeating a year? Probably not.
If he gets suspended and can't prep for the Center Test, I think getting into another university will be tough.
But you know, I bet that kind person is hurting inside because of all this...
I was worried about Airi-senpai.
That afternoon, after club activities.
I went up to Airi-senpai, who looked down.
"...Senpai, are you free tomorrow?"
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Next time, the prize for correctly guessing in Yukari's weight guessing project: "Spring with Airi-senpai," requested by Kausan.