Episode 136: Coincidence… Yet Inevitable

「Sorry to keep you waiting, Kazunari.」

「I just got here myself.」

It was after school, so I met up with Hayato at our meeting spot just like we’d promised.

「Haha, it’s fresh hearing that from a guy.」

Hayato suddenly started laughing like he’d found something hilarious.

「? Did I say something weird?」

「No, I just thought it was funny hearing the classic date-waiting line from Kazunari. Don’t worry about it.」

Classic?

…Oh, the「I just got here」bit.

「Sorry. Anyway, let’s move somewhere else. Somewhere we won’t be interrupted… the rooftop is close from here.」

「Yo, Takanashi and Yokogawa. What are you two guys up to?」

That’s rare.

It’s the two idiots from our class who’ve been keeping a low profile lately. We haven’t even talked in a while.

I wonder if I should point out that there are two of them, too.

「Well, I think there are two of you, too,」Hayato quipped.

I wonder if they’ll realize they’re being mocked?

「I guess that’s true. Well, whatever.」

「Hey Takanashi, we’ve got a bone to pick with you. Come with us for a sec. Does the name Yamazaki ring a bell?」

!?

Yamazaki, huh… I figured he’d show up sooner or later once Yuzuha got involved.

But to think these guys were connected… it’s a small world.

But when I think about it, the fact that I was suddenly subjected to similar treatment at this school might’ve actually been because of Yamazaki’s cronies. That makes a weird amount of sense, even if it’s a nasty thought.

What should I do? I was just about to talk to Hayato.

「Heh, sounds like an interesting story. Since you started talking in front of me, you’re obviously gonna let me join in, right?」

Hayato started putting on a show.

He shot me a meaningful look. Right, if it’s Hayato, I’m sure he’ll believe me.

In that case… could I use these guys instead to figure out what’s going on?

What are they thinking? What’s their plan?

It’s a gamble, but I’ll have to wing it.

Besides, I’ve got one… albeit weak…「weapon.」

It’s from when I contacted Yuji the other day.

「I see. If you came into contact with Sasagawa, then Yamazaki might make a move too.」

「You think so too?」

I’d considered that possibility as well.

There was no way he wouldn’t notice I was at Hayato’s school, and Yamazaki might move if Yuzuha asked him to.

「I don’t know if it’ll be useful, but you might be able to use it for something. I’ll send you a photo.」

The photo he sent on RAIN showed someone I didn’t recognize being pinned down by the police.

「What’s this?」

「Apparently it’s a photo of a sex offender being arrested. The interesting part is the guy behind the police officer in the background.」

Behind the officer… is that Yamazaki?

「I have no idea why Yamazaki was at the scene of a sex offender’s arrest. It’s just speculation. Either way, this photo doesn’t mean anything on its own. But…」

「You mean I can use it to start a rumor? Paying him back for what he did to me?」

But I didn’t have any proof, and it’d likely just be seen as a stretch.

「No, that’d probably be tough. To be honest, I’m not really sure how to use that photo either. But I sent it just in case it might help.」

「Thanks. But where’d you get something like this?」

「You knew I was looking into Yamazaki, right? During that process, I met a girl who was also looking into him… I got it from her. But it was only sent to me after you’d already moved away.」

Well, even if I’d had this on hand back then, it would’ve been dismissed as some petty accusation and wouldn’t have meant anything.

「That girl seemed to really hate Yamazaki. It was scary. I don’t know what she’s doing now, though.」

Yamazaki really must be a piece of trash.

It might not have helped in middle school… but what about these guys?

Even if it doesn’t work, I’ll just have to find some kind of breakthrough through the conversation with them.

「Fine… sure. I’ll tell you something interesting. I’ll give you a special look at this guy’s true nature.」

(Since it involves Kazunari, and these guys are an eyesore, I might as well get rid of them. If they think I don’t know they’ve been using my name to pick up girls, they’re even stupider than I thought.)

「Let’s go to the rooftop… follow us.」

「Yeah, got it.」

With this, I understood perfectly that neither Yamazaki nor Yuzuha had any intention of leaving me alone.

Yuzuha’s whole「apology」thing was a lie, just like I expected. But it’s a fact she’s planning something regarding Hayato.

In that case, can’t I use that to my advantage instead?

For now, it’s these guys.

This time, it’s not gonna go like it did in middle school.

Clang.

When I opened the heavy rooftop door, there was someone already there.

「I’ve been waiting for you. You finally came, Takanashi!」

?

Who is this guy?

I don’t know his face… but he was waiting for me?

For some reason, he’s striking a weird pose while pointing at me.

Gross… has he been watching too much anime or something?

「What are you talking about?」

When I asked, the two idiots who followed us reacted first.

「Huh? Why’s Tagami here?」

「What are you doing?」

「I, I’m here to p, protect the P, Princess… f, from Takanashi.」

His attitude is totally different from when he first spoke to me. He suddenly started acting all fidgety.

「Huh? What are you even… whatever. Just shut up for a sec.」

Is he one of them?

Or an errand boy… what a weird guy.

If he was waiting for me, was he in contact with these two?

「Anyway, Takanashi, we heard all about you from Yamazaki. Sounds like you were a real delinquent back in middle school.」

「Let’s see, what was it? Stalker… assault… injury… blackmail. Man, that’s impressive.」

Since he was reading it off his smartphone, it looks like they’re in contact on RAIN or something.

I’ll let them talk for a bit first.

Since I struggled with proof back in middle school, I’m making sure to record everything this time.

「So, I’m saying those are just rumors. What are you gonna do?」

I stole a glance at Hayato, but he was just smirking, looking totally unbothered.

It’ll probably be fine. Trust him.

「Apparently everyone in your class back in middle school knows about it. That means it’s the truth, right? What do you say, Takanashi the criminal?」

「Those are lies spread by my childhood friend. I didn’t do anything.」

I’ll make that point for now.

Just so Hayato understands the situation.

「Whatever. I don’t really care. More importantly, you know what’ll happen if we spread this around this school?」

This is lucky.

At this rate, these guys are definitely planning to blackmail me.

That means I’m still in control of the conversation.

「Who knows? Maybe nobody will believe you.」

「The people who hear it get to decide that, right?」

The idiot said that with an irritating, smug look like he knew everything.

Come to think of it, I don’t even know these guys’ names. Whatever, A and B are fine.

Now, time to get to the main point.

「So, what’s your point?」

「Introduce us to some girls. And obviously not just a normal introduction… you know what I mean, right?」

Huh?

I could understand if they said that to Hayato, but there’s no way I have girls I can introduce to them. These guys really are idiots.

…Whatever.

I’ll play along for now.

「Hmm… and if I say no?」

「Then obviously, starting tomorrow, the whole school’s gonna be buzzing with rumors about you.」

So cliché… they’re so simple-minded.

Well, that’s the blackmail part recorded.

But even if they do spread rumors, I wonder if anyone would even believe idiots like them in the first place.

And since they’ve said this now, the culprits would be identified from the start if rumors actually did spread. What would happen to them if the rumors were proven to be fake…

They don’t seem to have the brains to think that far ahead.

Now… what should I do?

For now, I’ll try showing them that photo like I originally planned.

「By the way, you guys are Yamazaki’s buddies, right? You know about this?」

Intending to see their reaction, I showed the two of them the photo I got from Yuji.

「Huh? What is th… is this…」

「Oh… for real…?」

The two of them are acting strange.

It’s unexpected for them to have such a huge reaction out of nowhere.

I’ll try shaking them up for now.

「This is a photo of a sex offender being arrested, and Yamazaki is in the background, right? Apparently there are other photos too. To think he was an accomplice.」

Of course, it’s a bluff.

I only intended to see their reaction, but they’re looking pretty shaken. Do they know something?

「Yamazaki?… Whoa, he’s really there.」

「That bastard Yamazaki, even though he was saying he had nothing to do with Sagawa-senpai… Takanashi, where’d you get this photo…」

That was a weird reaction.

Is it not because they noticed Yamazaki that they’re acting strange?

BAM!!

!?

The sound of the rooftop door being thrown open echoed.

Surprised, I turned around and saw… Todo-san, Natsumi-senpai, and… Sara-san!?

Wait, why are they here…?