LMLCG – Episode 3 – Reunion

The classroom today was, as usual, filled with the noise of those idiots.

At this point, the class had clearly split into two factions: those who chose not to get involved with the idiots, and the groupies who joined in with the chaos.

The non-involvement group wasn’t necessarily isolated, some formed small groups, and even those who were on their own would interact with each other occasionally.

In other words, the only one completely isolated, with no connection to anyone, was me.

The bell rang. Signaling the start of lunch break.

I left the classroom with the rice balls I’d bought from a convenience store on the way to school.

Now, where should I eat…?

Nothing came to mind, so I ended up heading toward the flower bed behind the school building where I always did the watering.

There was a bench nearby, and it was usually empty. It seemed like the perfect place.

After finishing lunch, I didn’t have anything else to do.

I thought about messing around on my phone since I had time, but since I was already here, I figured I might as well water the plants now so I wouldn’t have to come back after school.

First, I pulled the most noticeable weeds.

Then I attached the spray nozzle to the hose and began watering.

That’s when I noticed someone approaching.

“…Oh? You’re here early today.”

“Satsukawa-senpai…”

To my surprise, the one who appeared was none other than the goddess herself.

The goddess looked at me, then turned her gaze toward the flower bed. After seeing the pile of weeds, she looked back at me again.

“I usually see you here after school, but this is the first time I see you at lunch.”

“Yeah, I knew someone else was taking care of the flower bed too, but I didn’t think it was you, Satsukawa-senpai. I thought it was a teacher or something.”

I had assumed one of the faculty was maintaining it.

“I always come around this time. I’ve often seen you looking after it after school.”

“I see…”

To think I’d been seen by the goddess herself…

But what shocked me even more was that the one who had also been tending the flowers was her.

One thing I noticed was that she didn’t seem as “harsh” or “cold” as she did yesterday on the rooftop…

Since I had the chance, I decided to talk a bit more.

“Sorry about yesterday…”

“No need to apologize. The student council got a report that there were people on the rooftop, so I went to check. It looked like you were just caught up in that mess with those idiotic, childish, elementary schooler wannabes.”

She really is beautiful, but man, her words can be brutal… Still, it looks like she heard what happened yesterday.

Remembering how pathetic and embarrassing it was to be seen like that made me want to leave right away.

“Um…”

But Satsukawa-senpai seemed like she still wanted to say something, though she was having a hard time starting… Wait, maybe…

“Sorry, I just realized I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Takanashi Kazunari. First year—”

“Vice President!! Sorry, about this document—”

A female student came running up, calling out to Senpai by her title. Probably a student council member.

“It’s about the document from yesterday…”

At some point, the goddess’s expression had changed from how it was just moments ago… Something felt different.

“Is it something that can’t wait until the student council meeting after school?”

The calm atmosphere from earlier vanished. A sharp tension filled the air.

The words she spoke were harsh enough to remind me of her stern attitude from yesterday.

If I were the one on the receiving end of that tone, I’d probably be too scared to talk to her again.

“Eh? Uh, no, it’s just…”

“Is this something that absolutely must be addressed right now?”

“…Sorry. After school is fine.”

“Then wait until after school.”

With that, she turned her back to the girl, as if saying there was no more need for discussion.

Which meant, in turn, that she was now facing me again…

“Sorry for the interruption earlier—”

“No, sorry, I’m running out of time so I’ll have to go now!!”

“Ah…”

Remembering how I was seen during that rooftop incident, the pathetic image of myself resurfaced, and I just didn’t feel like continuing the conversation.