VOLUME 3 — AUTUMN
Chapter 15: Sasanqua
Every word that came out of Renji’s mouth was unbelievable, something I didn’t want to believe. As I listened to his words, I kept wishing over and over again that this was just a dream.
I’ve felt this way ever since my father’s accident.
My heart refuses to accept reality like it did on that day.
But seeing Renji, who usually carries the typical courage and strength of a boy, in such a state of distress, told me that everything he was saying was true.
“I-I tried to explain the situation to the teacher, but… that guy, Souma-senpai, whispered to me not to say anything… He said if I did, things would get worse, and Shiori might get hurt again…”
“(No way…)”
“Actually… at that time, Shiori also told me not to say anything, but… I couldn’t just stay silent… I never imagined things would turn out like this…”
“So… what happened to Itsuki-senpai!?”
“We were taken to the teacher along with the culprit, but I was sent back because I’m from another school… So I have no idea what happened after that…”
Having said that, Renji said, ”You have to go see him… It’s all my fault, and I’m really sorry…” I couldn’t bring myself to blame him anymore.
Because… Renji wasn’t at fault.
That senpai was the culprit and ─ I’m the one who dragged Itsuki-senpai into this mess.
It’s all my fault that it turned out like this.
Because of me, Itsuki-senpai─
“Shiori!?”
“…”
“Hmm? Oh, Hiratsuka. Are you feeling better now? Homeroom is about to start, so take your seats.”
However, just as I was about to rush to Senpai, my feet were stopped by a teacher who entered the classroom at a bad timing.
I panicked, trying to explain the situation to the teacher, but I didn’t know how to explain it.
In the end, I had no choice but to return to my seat and spend the rest of homeroom squeezing my trembling hands on my uniform skirt.
[Senpai, I heard the story from Renji. Can we meet after school?]
[Senpai, is the discussion over? Did you explain everything?]
[Senpai, are you still at school? Please let me know when your class is over, as I’ll leave school then too]
[Senpai, please don’t cover for me and tell the teacher everything]
[Itsuki-senpai, are you okay?]
During breaks between classes and homeroom, I sent message after message to Senpai.
It’s okay if he think it’s annoying or bothersome. I just couldn’t help but worry about Senpai.
After morning homeroom ended, I actually planned to go to the Senpai’s school, but Ayu-chan advised me to not go.
“Just rushing to meet him without a plan is pointless. It’s a boys’ school, and they’re probably in class. Besides, it’s not easy to get into the school. Try contacting Itsuki-senpai first,” she said.
I thought Ayu-chan was right, and meeting Senpai in my current state might just cause him more trouble.
So I sent message after message to Senpai.
Repeated messages asking for a reply with the same message over and over again.
── But there was no reply from Senpai to any of them.
In fact, he didn’t even mark them as [read]. The lack of response only increased my anxiety.
“─Stand, bow. Thank you very much.”
“…”
“Ah… Shiori!!”
With the class representative’s end-greeting, I ended what felt like the longest day of school and dashed out of the classroom, grabbing my bag as if I had been waiting for it.
As I left the classroom, I heard Ayu-chan’s worried voice, but I didn’t even have time to respond.
I quickly left the school and hurried to the all-boys school that Itsuki-senpai attends across the station.
“…”
When I reached the school gate, I desperately tried to calm my erratic breathing and looked toward the school building.
When I first arrived there, it was only natural that there were only men as far as I could see.
The atmosphere was somewhat different from my co-ed school, and I could feel the roughness typical of boys.
Itsuki-senpai’s class was “3-A.”
But although I knew the class, I didn’t know where it was.
“(I… need to ask…)”
As I stood in front of the school gate, students passing by looked at me curiously, and I tapped on my phone to hastily write a message.
[I’m sorry for the sudden request. Since I can’t speak, I’m writing down what I want to ask on my
phone. If you have time, could you please take me to Souma Itsuki-san’s class in 3-A?]
I opened the screen with just that written, looking around nervously.
And then one of the students who was looking at me curiously caught my eye. I hurriedly approached them and without even confirming their face, handed them my phone and bowed deeply.
“…Huh? Uh, what? Huh?”
“(I’m sorry, please…!!)”
“Huh?… Uh, umm… I see…”
Initially taken aback by my sudden action, the student seemed to understand after reading the message on my phone and grinned at me.
Feeling relieved that they had agreed with that change in expression, my heart sank in my chest. But then I finally noticed the appearance of the person I had called out to.
He was wearing the same uniform as Itsuki-senpai, but it looked completely different.
The buttons of the shirt were unbuttoned up to the third button, and a silver necklace gleamed from the open neckline.
There were several piercings in his ears, and one side of hus bangs was longer, covering one eye. It seemed like he was wearing colored contacts.
When our eyes met, he grinned. Seeing his smirk and narrowed eyes, a cold sweat ran down my back for the first time.
“Souma-kun, right? I know, I know, I’ll take you there~. Follow me~”
“(U-um…)”
“Hm~? What’s wrong? Souma Tatsuki, right? It’s okay, it’s okay. I know. I’m good friends with him, so leave it to me~”
“…”
As he spoke, he suddenly wrapped his arm around my shoulder, causing my body to stiffen reflexively.
Besides, the name this person had just spoken set off alarm bells in my head.
Because, he pronounced the name as “Tatsuki,” but the correct pronunciation of the senior’s name is “Itsuki.”
Furthermore, referring to Senpai as “good friends.”
Senpai has only mentioned the name of his three friends.
His close friends, “Aki-san” and “Tama-san,” and Aki-san’s girlfriend, “Mari-san.”
I met Aki and Mari at a festival, so I remember their faces and names from the festival.
So, is this person “Tama-san”…?
…No, probably not.
Because the “Tama-san” that Itsuki-senpai mentioned is cheerful, active, and very considerate of his friends…
There’s no way someone like that would mistake the name of his best friend. I can’t imagine this person being friendly with the senior, sorry as I am to admit it.
So, surely, I absolutely shouldn’t go with this person, who lies so easily like this───
“(P-please let go.)”
“…Huh? Why are you resisting all of a sudden? You asked me to take you, didn’t you?”
“(W-well, that’s true, but… n-no, it’s okay, I’m sorry.)”
“Huh? I can’t understand a word you’re saying. Well, let’s walk, shall we? C’mon, standing around here will only attract attention, so let’s head over there for now…”
“…”
With a grunt, force was applied to the grabbed shoulder, causing me to instinctively furrow my brows and tense both legs.
If I followed along, it would be bad; if something happened now, it would only further inconvenience Senpai.
When I thought about this this, I felt so pathetic and frustrated stumbling like this, and I couldn’t help but want to cry.
“(I-it hurts… Let go…)”
“It’s okay, it’s okay~. I’ll take you there right away. What was it again? Um… to Nandaka-san’s place~”
Even though I don’t have the time… I felt disgusted by my own indecisiveness at a time like this.
Still, I tried to figure out how to escape from this person, but it seemed impossible to resist the strength of a man.
As I lowered my head and desperately shook it in refusal, I heard a loud sighm This time, my arm was forcibly pulled.
At this action, tears threatened to fall again, and I instinctively bit my lip…
“─── You there. Stop bullying the weak.”
As I kept my head down, A sudden voice rescued me.
“Huh?”
When I looked up at the sound of a voice, I saw a man with a cute appearance standing there.
The person, who was wearing a red hoodie over his uniform shirt, crossed his arms and looked straight at him, shaking his head once before continuing.
“That girl obviously doesn’t like it, right? Let her go. I mean, you must be quite the troublemaker to openly commit evil acts in front of the school gate like this.”
“What’s your problem, huh?! She’s my girlfriend, my girlfriend!! It’s none of your business!!”
“No, no, even if she’s your girlfriend, it’s not okay to treat her like that. You should learn how to treat a girlfriend properly from my best friend, although you might find it too mushy to handle.”
“What?! What’s your deal?! Just disappear, idiot!!”
“Well, when you reach my level, you can disappear like an illusion… but you’re a freshman, right? Well, it’s not okay at all, not okay at all, super not okay.”
“What?! Can’t you understand what I’ve been saying?! You idiot!!”
“…Idiot, idiot, you’ve been acting like an idiot since the beginning… For being so rude, here’s a little something for you:
A Cross Chop for your disrespectful attitude towards your Senpai!”
“Guh… ugh!”
“Hah!”
With a thud, the man who had been holding onto my arm fell backward with a dull sound.
Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, I involuntarily tensed my shoulders dramatically in surprise.
The reason being, just as I thought the man suddenly crossed his arms and lunged forward, it seemed like he collided with the man who had been holding onto my arm with momentum.
However, thanks to him, the hand that had been grabbing mine was released, and the man who let go stumbled backward onto his buttocks.
“Justice served!!”
I stared blankly at the back of the person who struck a pose while adding sound effects on his own.
But soon after snapping out of it, I hurriedly opened my phone to thank the person—Cross Chop-san—but this time, a different voice called out from the side.
“Hey, Tama!! What are you doing?! Aren’t we supposed to go to Itsuki’s place?!”
Tama…?
Surprised by those words, I quickly turned around, only to find Aki-san. The person I met at the festival─ Itsuki-senpai’s best friend.
“Well, you see, Akki. Right now, this underclassman here is bullying someone weaker. As someone overflowing with a sense of justice, I can’t just overlook that, you know?”
“What?! What are you talking about at a time like this?! Come on, we have to go to Itsuki’s place right now, or he’ll be── Ah!”
“…”
“Huh? What? What’s going on? Oh… I see!! This is one of those situations where the cute girl you saved falls for you, right?! Actually, she’s probably already fallen for me?!”
“Um… Shiori-chan?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s like, ‘Thank you so much for saving me, Tama-san. I was really scared!!’ and then the cute girl clings to me without a dou…bt, Shiori??”
“It’s a bit foggy, but I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before,” he said.
Contrary to Tama-san’s absent-minded voice, Aki-san stared at me with a surprised expression.
Seeing Aki-san like that, I finally breathed a sigh of relief that I might finally see Itsuki-senpai. Forgetting to thank Tama-san, I rushed over to Aki-san.
“(Um, excuse me! You mentioned going to Itsuki-senpai’s place! What does that mean?! Is Itsuki-senpai gone already, not at school anymore?!)”
“Huh, well…? Sorry…”
“(Ah…! I’m sorry…)”
Aki-san gave me a puzzled look as I spoke quickly and moved my mouth, so I hurriedly pulled out my phone, and turned the screen towards Aki-san.
[I came because I wanted to meet Itsuki-senpai. Where is Senpai now? ]
But after glancing at the message once, Aki-san returned his gaze to me from the phone and for some reason furrowed his eyebrows.
The change in his expression spread unease throughout me.
What happened to Itsuki-senpai after that?
What on earth happened?
If he’s not at school, then where is Senpai now───
“Oh…! I remembered!! Shiori!! Itsuki’s ‘Shiorin’!!”
However, ignoring my thoughts, Tama-san suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.
I was taken aback by the way his eyes lit up as he pointed at me, and I froze.
“(Uh, huh?)”
“Oh, Shiori, huh. So she’s not that guy’s girlfriend after all.”
“(Ah…um…?)”
“Tch, but with Shiorin in the mix, it’s not going to be the ‘cute girl gets hugged by the hero after being saved’ scenario. It’s going to be more like Shiori being drowned in the sea by the demon Itsuki—how boring.”
“Well, I’m aiming to be everyone’s hero, so that’s okay”
It seemed like Tama-san was satisfied with his own conclusion as he nodded.
Aki-san let out a big sigh at Tama-san’s behavior. I was still confused, so I turned my attention back to Aki-san again, as if seeking an answer.
This time, with a troubled smile directed at me, Aki-san slowly opened his mouth.
“Sorry for the noise. This is Tama, have you heard of him from Itsuki? Just in case he hasn’t, he’s a friend.”
“What do you mean just in case?! Just in case!”
“So, I’m sorry you came all the way here, but Itsuki isn’t at school anymore today.”
“(Well, then where is he now…)”
“Hmm… I think he might get mad if I told you without his permission… But I also think it’s unfair to leave you in the dark. So, please consider what I’m about to say as my personal ramblings.”
“…”
“… I don’t know how much you already know, but Itsuki got into a bit of a trouble this morning. And things kind of escalated from there.”
“(Y-Yes, I know… A friend told me… )”
“… Oh, really? Then you’ve probably heard most of the details already, I guess… Unfortunately, because of that fight, Itsuki has been suspended from school. He’s on home suspension for a week.”
“…!”
“So he definitely won’t be able to come to school for a week.”
───Aki-san’s words really made my mind go blank this time.
Suspended… suspended. That’s not true, right?
Because Itsuki-senpai got into a fight to protect me.
I thought if we explained properly, the teachers and the school would understand. But suddenly being suspended, it’s just───
“Well, I think you probably understand, but Itsuki has that kind of personality, right? Even when he was questioned by the teacher about the reason, he apparently just said, ‘I hit him because I was pissed off’,’ and nothing else… But in the end, the soccer team underclassmen who saw the whole thing explained it to the teachers, so the misunderstanding seems to have been cleared up for the time being. Oh, and your name didn’t come up, so don’t worry about that.”
“(T-that’s… More importantly, where is Itsuki-senpai now…!)”
“…Umm, yeah. While the misunderstanding is cleared up, he was still caught by the teachers in the act, so the school couldn’t just let it go without any disciplinary action.”
“(That’s…)”
“Well, Itsuki isn’t the type to deny his wrongdoing or put up a fight, and he admits to punching the other guy, so he accepted the punishment without much fuss. But that’s all he told us. When we got back from gym class, his bag was gone, so I think he was sent home. I’m a bit worried about him, so I was just about to head over to his place when…”
“(I-If he gets suspended…?)”
“Huh?”
“(I-if he’s suspended… What will happen Senpai’s entrance exams… his recommendations!?)”
I let my emotions get the best of me and approached Aki-san, but this time Aki-san shook his gaze as if he was confused and unable to hold back his agitation, his gaze shifting uneasily.
Aki-san must have understood what I had just said.
He must have expected that I would ask about Itsuki-senpai’s college entrance exams.
And by answering my question, he knew just how much shock I would experience upon learning the truth.
But even without asking, I could sense the answer in Aki-san’s kindness and change in his demeanor.
The recommendation Itsuki was supposed to receive from the school—due to this incident, it had been revoked.
“…It’s not your fault, Shiori-chan. At least Itsuki doesn’t think so.”
“…”
How could this be happening?
After all, up until today, Senpai has been working hard every day for that exam…!
Waking up early every morning, studying at school, and staying up late at night—he had been putting in so much effort. And now, this…
“Ah… Shiori-chan, wait!!”
“…”
Ignoring Aki-san’s attempt to stop me, I impulsively started running towards the school building.
(This… all of this, it’s my fault… It’s because of me that Itsuki-senpai’s future…)
I needed to do something, anything.
I felt like I should bow my head and beg them not to cancel Senpai’s college entrance exams or his recommendations.
In order to do that, I had to go meet with the teacher who had decided on Itsuki-senpai’s punishment.
Though everything was a mess, I couldn’t see any other way out of this…
“Stop!!”
“…”
But just as I was about to reach the school building, my steps were halted once again.
As I struggled to catch my breath, blinking rapidly, I found Tama-san standing in front of me, arms outstretched, blocking my path.
His eyes, now filled with unwavering strength, met mine. I couldn’t help but let out a breath.
“Are you planning to go see the teacher? If you do, how do you think Itsuki would feel if Shiorin went to see the teacher now?”
“(S-senpai’s feelings…?)”
“Maybe punching was something he did impulsively. But Itsuki is smart, and he knew that he might face consequences, that his university recommendation might be revoked… Despite all that, he still wanted to protect you.”
“…”
“It’s about Shiori. He wanted to protect you, to prevent you from being dragged into this mess or getting hurt further by the people around you. That’s why Itsuki didn’t mention your name until the end, and even the juniors from the soccer club understood his feelings and insisted they didn’t know your name.”
When he said that, Tama-san lets out an exaggerated sigh and says, “Why can’t women understand men’s hearts like that, even a little bit?”
“So if Shiorin goes to see the teacher now, all of Itsuki’s actions and feelings will be in vain. If Shiorin tells the teacher everything and gets involved, Itsuki will blame himself even more than he does now.”
─── My best friend is just such a troublesome, kind-hearted, and sensitive guy.
Tama-san said those last words with some pride and put his outstretched hands into the pockets of his hoodie.
As his figure began to disappear from my vision, I couldn’t help but bite my lip.
Whether he knew my state or not, Tama-san, after taking a deep breath, stretched once and then turned his voice back to Aki-san.
“Akki! Let’s change plans for today! Let’s play the new game we bought the other day together at my place!”
“Huh…!? W-Wait, Tama, why are you talking about playing a new game at a time like this—… Wait, ah… yeah. That sounds good!”
“All right! Once we decide that, let’s dash home! It’s a race! The loser has to buy snacks to enjoy the game even more!”
“Huh…!? I-I don’t want to race, Tama, wait—…”
“…”
And with that, as he left, Tama-san placed his hand on my shoulder. Just like that day at the festival, he whispered the same words Aki-san had spoken to me.
“Please take care of Itsuki for me.”
Wiping away tears that threatened to spill, I lifted my head again.
Then, I put all my strength back into my legs and ran with all my might toward where Itsuki-senpai would likely be—toward his home.
But when I arrived at the apartment where Itsuki lived…
[Senpai, where are you now…? ]
Just like a butterfly leaving a flower that had lost its nectar, only Senpai figure had disappeared.
＊ ＊ ＊
”── Unfortunately, due to this incident, the university’s recommendation will be revoked.”
As I listened to the words handed to me by my homeroom teacher, I let out a huge sigh.
How many times was it today?
I hear the voices of teachers screaming in disappointment, asking, “Why now, of all times…?”
“I apologize for the inconvenience I’ve caused.”
As I said this, I bowed my head, and let out another sigh.
Pretending not to notice, I bowed once more before leaving the still air of the staff room behind.
“Itsuki, let’s go home.”
When I got down to the elevator and put on my shoes, the words were bluntly thrown at me.
Lifting my gaze from the ground, I found eyes resembling mine, fixed straight on me in my school uniform.
“…Sorry for causing you trouble.”
My father was suddenly called by my homeroom teacher and was forced to finish work early, still wearing a suit and carrying a large work bag in his hand.
When I walked up to my father, I couldn’t bear the feeling of being apologetic and casted my gaze downward.
Then, my father gave me an exasperated sigh.
But unlike the sighs I had been receiving at school just moments ago, this one weighed heavily on my heart.
── I had acted impulsively when I hit him.
In that moment, I had forgotten myself, not considering the consequences or the trouble I would cause those around me.
But as I was escorted to the faculty room to explain myself, my mind regained its composure.
After this, in the worst case scenario, the school might give me a suspension.
Realizing that I would likely have to give up my college recommendations as a result, I couldn’t help but think I was being rather carefree, considering the severity of the situation.
I was surprisingly calm, even considering such things.
And when I thought about it, I realized that I didn’t regret it in the slightest. Although I was sorry, I felt a sense of relief deep inside.
I would have regretted it more if I hadn’t protected Shiori.
I realized clearly that I would have regretted letting Shiori get hurt even more than having my university recommendation revoked.
So, I had no regrets in my heart.
Even when I was giving explanations, I didn’t go into specifics, just insisting that it was my fault. The teachers were half astonished.
In the end, the junior soccer club members who had witnessed the incident somehow managed to explain that I wasn’t entirely to blame. It seemed that the person I hit also received suspension, so they both were punished.
Aki, who went to check on the guy who was taken to the infirmary, said that the soccer club advisor gave him a good scolding and that he probably never wants to have anything to do with Shiori or me again.
I felt a great relief at those words, still naive, I did not realize how much trouble I would cause others and how much disappointment I would bring upon them after this…
“…”
Even though my eyes were downcast, I felt the intensity of my father’s gaze on the back of my head. My heart clenched.
After reconciling with my father thanks to Shiori… I knew that my father had tried to reach out to me in his own way.
Even the potted plants in the room and the regular inquiries about my well-being showed that.
While I had felt somewhat awkward about this connection with my father, I couldn’t deny the comfort I found in closing the distance.
But with this incident, the distance between my father and me might have grown again.
My father, in his own way, had been proud that I was planning to take the entrance exam for his alma mater with a recommendation.
Yet, I had betrayed his expectations.
I had no regrets about what I had done.
But the fact that I had disappointed my father──
“…There must have been some reason, right?”
I regretted it so much that even if I regretted it more, it wouldn’t be enough.
“…”
“…You’ve always been like me, good at controlling your emotions on the surface but you’re actually bad at it…but that doesn’t mean you’re the kind of person who would hit someone for no reason.”
“…Father”
“Well, no matter what the reason, it’s still wrong to hit someone. You should reflect on that honestly.”
I felt like I had been punched in the temple by th uneexpected words from my father.
“Let’s go home,” my father said again, walking away brusquely. Seeing his back, I felt something warm welling up in my chest.
I never thought he would understand.
I had been telling myself that I didn’t want him to understand.
But the truth is─── I realize now that I wanted my father to understand me.
It didn’t matter what others thought of me, how many people I disappointed.
All that mattered to me was that I didn’t want to be misunderstood by the one person standing in front of me right now, my father.
“…Can I go to your house today?”
“Huh?”
“That… the house where you and mom used to live. Can I go back there, just for today?”
I asked my father in a hushed voice, facing his back. His eyes widened in surprise.
Seeing the change in my father’s demeanor, I once again wallowed in regret, thinking that I had let the momentum take over and had mistakenly closed the distance between us.
I instinctively looked down as if to run away, but a large hand gently patted my hair. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt that on my head,.
I looked up, and my father’s kind eyes met mine.
“…You can stay there for as long as you want. That place is also your home.”
“…”
“We’ll vacate the apartment where you live now. At least until you graduate from high school and finish your entrance exams. After that, we can discuss what to do some other timet.”
“But…”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to worry about anything. Ever since you showed up at the hospital, I’ve talked to the other woman many times… There’s no one in that house right now. We talked about creating an environment where you could come back anytime until you graduated from university.”
“…”
“…Itsuki. I haven’t been a good father until now. It’s too late, but let me do what a parent should at a time like this.”
When those words, my father smiled again for the first time in years. This time I felt a prickling pain in the back of his nose. Scrambling to cover up my emotions, I tightly clenched my fist.
My father turned his back again and started walking, either oblivious to my reaction or willingly ignoring it. We stopped by my apartment on the way home and packed up only the essential belongings.
Even though my phone kept buzzing relentlessly, I chose to ignore it.
I had always unconsciously chosen to hurt others.
I couldn’t muster the courage to respond to Shiori’s voice, knowing that I had likely caused her pain once again.
*
ﾟ
*
+:
｡
+
*
ﾟ
『Sasanqua（サザンカ）』
Devoted Love.
If you like our translation for this novel and want us to release more chapters frequently, feel free to support us on either our ko-fi and paypal ❤️
