Saenai Boku ga Kimi no Heya de Shiteiru Koto wo Kurasumeito ha Dare mo Shiranai

Chapter 12 - Recognition

As usual, I came to school and stood blankly in front of my shoe locker.

「Is this a love letter? No... that's not going to happen. Am I being bullied again?」

A white envelope was placed on top of an indoor shoe in the shoe locker. At first glance it might seem like a love letter, but the world was not that simple. Touyama had also received a malicious harassment note recently as well.

Touyama carefully took out the envelope and put it in his bag, then hurriedly ran to the toilet room. From the other students' point of view, they would think it was a stomachache and rush to the restroom.

「Not writing the sender's name? ......」

Touyama openly opened the envelope, which contained a white note and a photo.

Photo!?

The photo captured the moment when Takai held Toyama's hand and invited her into the house.

It was seen by someone!? Was I followed home from karaoke? Or was it just a coincidence...?

The only thing that can be understood is that this letter is not the kind of love letter that makes people happy.

Touyama eagerly opened the note that was also put into the envelope to confirm the contents.

『Touyama-kun, I have something to ask you. After school today, someone will be waiting for you, Touyama-kun, in front of the sports equipment warehouse. Please go to the front of the warehouse after school and grant that person's wish.』

It was thought that, in order not to be known who wrote it, all the contents of the post-it note were printed on the computer.

Putting a photo in the envelope means that if you don't want to reveal your relationship with Takai, you have to secretly do what the sender asks...?

Although I don't know what kind of request the other party will make, what Touyama can do is very limited.

The relationship between Touyama and Takai cannot be determined from photos alone. But rumors will always spread. I'm afraid this is the opponent's goal. In that case, the only thing to do was to follow the instructions in the letter.

「I can only leave. Let me end this.」

Touyama, who did not know what kind of demands the other party would make, was very uneasy, but he still decided to end this series of harassment.

◇ ◇ ◇

———Scene Change———

◇ ◇ ◇

「Mika, I have something to tell you, can I take a moment?」

Once the afternoon class ended, Marika said to Aizawa.

「Yes, no problem. What do you want to say?」

「I also want to tell Takai-san, but it will be heard by others here, so let's go outside the classroom.」

Marika looked around, whispered to Aizawa, and ran towards Yumi again.

Marika took Yumi and Aizawa out of the classroom, and the three of them went somewhere without anyone around.

「Even in a place like this, does something bother you when someone hears it?」

Aizawa's judgment seemed to be a very important matter, and she asked Marika with a serious face.

「If you say it's a problem... I must say I'd be embarrassed if someone heard it...？」

「Is it okay for me to listen along?」

「Of course! Takai-san is my closest friend, so I also want you to hear from me."

Yumi asked anxiously, and Marika said that she wanted Yumi to listen to what she had to say.

Yumi looked a little happy when she heard the words "Important friend", it shouldn't be an illusion.

「Then I should listen carefully.」

Aizawa looked at Marika seriously.

"「eh... that's............

Although Marika wanted to say something, she didn't know if it was difficult to say, she always seemed to hesitate to say anything.

「Marika, if it's a difficult thing to talk about, you don't have to force yourself, okay?」

「Mmm, I'm fine.」

Seeing Marika's appearance, Aizawa said softly with a worried expression on her face. Marika closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and faced Aizawa and Yumi again with a serious expression.

「I..... will confess my feelings to Touyama next.」

Marika, who had made up her mind, made a surprising confession.

「Eh!? Marika... what did you just say?」

The overly aggressive words made Aizawa wonder if she heard something wrong.

「I'll confess to Touyama next.」

Hearing this sentence, Yumi was still expressionless as usual, and did not move.

「Why are you suddenly saying that you will confess to her? ......」

This was too surprising for Aizawa.

「When I was at the arcade yesterday, I talked to Ishiyama-san... She said there was hope so she asked me to confess to Touyama.」

「Deciding such an important thing because of that baseless statement?」

Aizawa was very surprised that she decided to confess based on that unreliable information.

「Not like this. Ishiyama-san said that she heard directly from Touyama that he likes me, so as long as I confess to Touyama, I will definitely succeed, and Ishiyama-san said that it's okay to leave the matter to her.」

「......So, you decided to confess today?」

「Hmm... Ishiyama-san will call Touyama in front of the sporting goods warehouse, all I have left to do is confess to her.」

「You're very......」

Unexpectedly, Marika really liked Touyama, Aizawa's calculation had been wrong all along. Although it is said that love makes people blind, Marika could not see her surroundings at all.

「Mika doesn't support me...?」

Seeing Aizawa's appearance, Marika felt a little uneasy.

「How could that be! I will always be Marika's support. So... come on.」

At this point, no one could stop Marila, and there was no power to stop her. Marika might really be successful and happy.

「Takai-san should also support me.」

Marika glanced at Yumi, who was still expressionless and said nothing.

「I'll go first.」

Marika, who left this sentence, turned around and left, running towards her lover's place.

「I'm still thinking about what happened... It's surprising to say that Marika wanted to confess so suddenly. Right, Yuzu.」

「Huh?」

Looking at Marika's back, Aizawa asked for Yumi's approval. But Aizawa didn't get any response, and she looked back in a dignified manner, only to see Yumi's face dazed and confused.

"「How──！！？？

Yumi really wanted to answer her, but couldn't say anything. In front of Aizawa, Yumi shed tears.

「Yumi...don't you like Touyama-kun? ......」

Yumi, who was crying like rain, didn't say anything and walked away.

「Ahhhh Damn! Why did things get like this! It's all your fault, Touyama！」

Aizawa complained and chased after Yumi, but she found no trace of her.

「ha ha ha......」

When Uehara said that she wanted to confess, her mind went blank. When she regained consciousness, the crying Takai left Aizawa's side as if running away, and ran to the sports equipment warehouse where Yuki was called.

I like Yuki.

When Yumi heard that Uehara was going to confess to Yuki, she felt desperate. Takai who didn't want to lose to Uehara and didn't want Yuki to be robbed by Uehara, had finally realized it now.

「Yes!」

Takai turned the corner of the corridor as he ran, but almost bumped into another student, but luckily avoided it at the last minute.

「Sorry」

Due to his mistake of running in the hallway, Takai faced the student and apologized to her.

「Ishi, Ishiyama-san?」

「Takai-san, why are you so nervous?」

「No, it's okay... I almost bumped into you, sorry."

「It didn't bump into me, no problem. But Takai-san, your face...」

Takai's tears stopped, but Ishiyama seemed to realize something when she saw his swollen expression because of Takai's crying.

「Is that...it seems like you know that. Did you hear it from Uehara-san?」

Takai nodded slowly.

「That's why I ran behind the school building in a panic. But...I won't let you disturb them. Sorry, but I'll be in trouble if the two of them aren't together."

「Ishiyama-san...that's all for yourself, right? Because what do you think Kurashima-kun will give up Uehara-san as long as they can date smoothly, right? If Kurashima-kun gives up Uehara-san, maybe he'll look at you, right?"

Seeing that the talked-about Ishiyama didn't say a word, Takai continued his words.

「That's why you let Uehara-san have such an idea and encouraged her to confess to Touyama-kun.」

「Don't say it again！」

Probably because of guilt, Ishiyama didn't want to talk to anyone else about what she had done.

「I can understand Ishiyama-san's feelings. How painful it is for someone you like to not see yourself. But...but you can't take advantage of other people's feelings either. That's how that person feels-」

Before Takai finished speaking, his eyes widened in surprise. What caught his gaze was not Touyama in front of him, but the figure behind him.

「Saori...what he just said is true?」

Hearing a voice that could not be forgotten, Ishiyama looked back and saw Kurashima's figure appearing there.

「Kazuto!? Since, since when have you been here?...」

「I've been hearing it in this corner since the beginning of your conversation」

──！？

In other words, Kurashima heard everything. Ishiyama who pushed Uehara's confession, it was all so that Kurashima could see him.

Ishiyama felt as if his whole body had lost its blood. He was afraid that he would be hated by Kurashima.

「So is it true that Marika wants to confess to Touyama?」

Facing Kurashima's cold eyes and voice, Ishiyama couldn't get his voice out.

「Answer me Saori！」

Ishiyama's body shuddered at Kurashima's angry roar.

「Kura, Kurashima-kun... Please, calm down...."

Takai also momentarily shuddered at Kurashima's furious roar, but still begged her to stay calm.

「Takai, what about you? Why are you still standing in this place. 」

「Not good...but, I understand how you feel.」

「Yes? ......」

Takai wondered if Kurashima agreed with his answer.

「Touyama-kun and Uehara-san will meet in front of the sports equipment warehouse...」

Ishiyama, whose face was pale, raised his voice to convey the information Kurashima wanted to know.

「I now hate you！」

Hearing this, Kurashima turned around and ran towards the sports equipment warehouse.

「Kazuto, don't go ......」

Ishiyama wanted to stop Kurajima from running to Uehara's side. But Kurashima glanced at Ishiyama and left quickly.

◇ ◇ ◇

———Scene Change————

◇ ◇ ◇

On the way to the sports equipment warehouse, Touyama stopped a little further away and peered at the situation in front of the warehouse from behind a tree.

Uehara-san! ?

Even from a distance, you can recognize the striking hair color and beautiful atmosphere, no one else but him has such features.

「Is it Uehara-san who called me...? No... Uehara-san probably wouldn't do such a thing.」

Uehara was undoubtedly summoned to the warehouse as well. Toyama told herself what kind of trap this was, and walked towards Uehara.

「Touyama...you're already here...."

Uehara didn't show his surprise when Touyama appeared, instead showing an expression of embarrassment and pleasure.

Did Uehara-san know that I was coming? Seriously, was it Uehara-san who called me?

「Is it Uehara-san who called me here?」

「Um, uh, yes oh... sorry for calling you all of a sudden. Did I give you trouble?」

Uehara lowered his head and looked at Touyama, showing a troubled expression.

「There's no such thing... Is there something wrong with summoning me to a place like that on purpose?"

「Uh...ah that...I-I have something to say to Touyama.」

Looking at Uehara who was blushing and seemed to be thinking, Touyama remembered a sentence in the note.『Please fulfill that person's wish』.

─Could it be...! ?

Touyama's heart jumped violently.

「I......」

Touyama was eager to weave a language, remembering Uehara's words and deeds during this time, he understood what would happen.

Uehara-san, what are you going to say next...

「Touyama, I menyu──」

I can't keep talking!

「Marika!」

The voice of "Marika" came from afar, and Uehara stopped.

When I heard that voice and looked back, I saw that Kurashima who was already out of breath, ran towards Touyama and Uehara with a grim expression.

「Kazuto!? Why are you here?」

Uehara didn't seem to know that Kurashima was coming, and Touyama became even more agitated.

「Kura, Kurashima-kun...? were you called here too？」

「No, not true. I came here after hearing about you from Saori.」

「Ishiyama-san? How is this?」

「Even if it's like that, are you okay Marika? ......」

With a thinking expression on his face, Kurashima took a deep breath and looked at Uehara as if he had come to a decision.

「I... I like you. So... please go out with me.」

Uehara was silent listening to Kurashima's sudden confession.

There was a silence between the three.

「Kurashima......」

Uehara, who was silently listening to her confession, spoke up.

「......I...have someone I like...so...I can't return your feelings. I'm sorry.」

TL/N: I'm a dog to my chest.

Both Kurashima and Touyama knew who Uehara's confession was directed at.

「Wah! Marika...you really treat a guy like this like that-」

「No！」

「Takai！？」

Takai suddenly ran out from the corner of the warehouse. Did you hear the conversation earlier from hiding in the shadows of the warehouse?

「Kurashima-kun... don't say that again....」

「Takai... is this acceptable to you? Maybe he wants to compare you and Marika on a scale！？」

「Yuki... won't do anything like that.」

「Are you dating Touyama? But still, this guy is a guy who can date other girls and is cute! Even so, can you still emphasize that！？」

「......Yuki and I are not dating. 」

「Isn't that so? Saori and I both saw it, you brought this person to your house！」

Facing Kurashima's question, Takai neither confirmed nor denied, and remained silent the entire time.

「It can't be denied that. What are you saying Touyama?」

Kurashima asked Toyama, whose mind could not keep up with his status, to answer his question. But for Touyama, there was only one answer in his head.

「......I'm not dating Takai.」

「Really... Then I'll be fine with Takai, right? After all, I've been dumped by Marika, and I've always cared about Takai.」

Kurashima's words sounded like he was giving up on himself, but he was actually trying to test Touyama, to draw out the truth from within Touyama's heart.

「Deceiver. You only see Uehara-san from her appearance.」

──！

「......Ahhh... right! I've always liked Marika. I've liked her since I entered middle school! But it was Touyama who helped Marika solve the harassment problem... it was you! I even have to be suspected as the culprit, it makes me so unwilling!"

Kurashima, who had let out the contents in his mind, approached Touyama.

「Kurashima-kun... I know that feeling very well. But... that's no reason to blame Yuki. so...."

Takai was at a loss for words and couldn't continue speaking.

「I really envy you, Touyama. There are so many classmates who admire you and gather around you. So does Marika, so does Mika! Touyama...if it weren't for you！」

Kurashima became really annoyed.

「Dog bastard, you look down on people like me, thinking of your words and your own deeds all this time, right? Isn't this all your own fault! ?」

Although Touyama listened calmly, he couldn't continue to hide his anger in the face of the hatred Kuroshima said to himself.

「Touyama, don't give me anger！」

Slowly approaching him, Kurashima grabbed Toyama's chest with one hand.

「This is a suitable place like you, Kurashima. Did I say something wrong? It was just because I told you that you would be rude to me, wasn't it?"

「Silence！」

「I won't shut up. I'll keep talking until you admit it! Say it if you hurt yourself！」

「You, bastard！」

Kurashima grabbed Toyama's chest with both hands and pressed his body against the wall of the warehouse.「Buk」With a voice like that, Touyama's face turned into pain.

「Kazuto, don't continue anymore！」

「Saori......！？？」

Kurashima, who grabbed Touyama's chest, about to hit him, was prevented by Ishiyama by hugging Kurashima from behind.

「Kazuto...this is all my fault...so please, don't continue this matter...."

With tears in his eyes, Ishiyama desperately tried to stop Kurashima.

「......So yeah... in the end I get nothing but suspicion as a criminal, so I'll be left alone... haha」

Kurashima released his hand that was grabbing Toyama by hanging him.

「Touyama... are you alright?」

「I, I'm fine.」

Takai squinted at Uehara, who was worried about Touyama, and said to Kurashima's empty back.

「Kurashima-kun... Although you say that you're alone, that's not the case. The people who appreciate you are by your side. So...I hope you see that woman more often.」

Takai turned his attention to Ishiyama, who hugged Kurashima from behind and buried his face behind him.

Kurashima and Ishiyama, who turned around, looked at each other for a moment.

「What......」

Kurashima gently released Ishiyama's embrace and left his body, then turned around and left. Ishiyama, who silently watched Kurashima leave, followed her back.

After Kurashima and Ishiyama left, the three who remained in place didn't know what to do with each other, and just stood still.

However, it was Uehara who broke the silence.

「I called Touyama here because I have something to say to Touyama. Sorry for dragging you into this kind of thing.」

Touyama knew what Uehara wanted to say by calling him out. And the answer had already been determined. The only thing left to do was to listen to Uehara's determination to continue and have the courage to accept his words.

「No, it doesn't matter. Compared to this... what do you want to tell me?」

Touyama fully understood what happened this time, it was Ishiyama who was planning to call Touyama and allow Uehara to confess to him.

「Mmmm... I really can't talk about it right now, so forget it.」

Uehara replied while looking at Takai, and then her eyes looked down at her feet.

「Is that...I see.」

「Sorry I'm so fickle-minded...."

Hearing this sentence, Touyama had already made up his mind, but it turned out that he was really relieved now.

I know it's impossible to continue like this, but I also don't want to destroy the current relationship.

So... Touyama did not regret choosing the current relationship.

Even if Touyama knew it was just a delay.

And then tomorrow, let's start our daily lives as usual.