CH#254
#254
Humans are fragile when they experience setbacks.
They tend to either reject themselves or reject others.
In this way, they can have time heal themselves and start walking again.
No one desires these feelings.
Being denied is painful and creates a sense of loneliness.
Uncomprehended sadness gradually erodes the heart, giving birth to negative emotions.
Jealousy and anger can turn emotions for someone, which initially began with goodwill, upside down. This is what makes humans frightening.
Now, under the darkening evening sky, I witnessed a girl who was about to confess her feelings for the first time.
I know it.
She was about to open her heart, knowing that she might be rejected and would have to experience setbacks and sadness.
Her trembling shoulders were visible even through her clothes. She must be nervous, maybe even struggling to breathe.
The girl beside me, with her striking beauty, adjusted her black hair and gazed at the girl in front with sharp eyes. She must be thinking something too.
Another girl, who was waiting at the accommodation, was going through the same situation right now. She was empathizing with the girl who was about to face circumstances similar to what she herself had gone through.
Right now, no one here was benefiting. They were all on the verge of abandoning the comfort they had been enjoying so far. It was a loss.
But as I watched their determined steps, a feeling of concern welled up inside me.
Okinawaâs second day began with an unexpected morning greeting from Kirasaka.
The hall was bustling with students seeking breakfast.
However, there was a noticeable difference in their appearance.
Many male students had not yet fully awakened and of whom who were awake most were casually dressed and not well-groomed.
On the other hand, many girls had already dressed in their uniforms, their hair neatly done.
This was a clear difference in awareness.
The boys who were already prepared, letâs say they have the most girl power.
Well, this was just something in my mind.
Despite being a place for breakfast, there was little conversation, and the hall was less lively than it had been during dinner.
Few people seemed to care much about where to sit, and Shizuku and Kirasaka casually joined a table, where there were hardly any cold stares.
The time was still early, only seven oâclock.
Both Kirasaka and I were fully awake, having enjoyed the morning sun. As we had finished breakfast, we were already observing the surroundings.
ââŚâ
ââŚThose two, theyâre sitting at the same table, for now.â
Kirasaka said, looking beyond my line of sight.
Shizuku puffs out her cheek like a squirrel and moves her gaze in the same direction as she munches and enjoys her breakfast.
Yuuto was sitting at a table where most of the main members of Class 2-3 were gathered.
Miyashita was also nearby, and it was clear that the two were at a certain distance from each other.
Itâs because Yuuto wonât push someone away if he learns that they are interested in them.
Thatâs why Miyashita could hold her ground. However, their interaction seemed somewhat awkward, different from yesterday. I could tell that even from the sidelines.
âAt this rate, they might catch on, especially Nakayama-san.â
Shizuku said, sipping her mixed juice.
Certainly, Nakayama was there, always hovering near Yuuto.
She seemed to be intimidating other female students and establishing her presence.
Yuuto didnât seem to mind, but it gave off an air of territorial dispute among the girls.
âŚI really didnât want to get involved with Nakayama. She probably didnât like me either.
Okay, so what now?
It would be easy to isolate them since we were in the same group. However, that would raise suspicions among the others.
Creating a situation where they could talk to each other alone, perhaps even indirectly⌠that was what I wanted to achieve, a situation within our group activities where they can have a conversation alone.
Nakayama has a high self-esteem and seems to hate orders from others, so if I might need to stir up some strong disagreement to make Nakayama go for my preferred course.
Afterwards, maybe Iâll let the two of them have a conversationâŚ
With that broader plan in mind, I quietly divert my gaze from the two.
Weâve finished our meals, and thereâs nothing to do here.
I could use this place like a high-end drink bar with all-you-can-drink drinks, but it has the disadvantages of being noisy.
Still, I decide to take a few drinks so that I could enjoy some fruit juices that I wouldnât normally drink.
I know, I should drink black coffee for the pretense factor, butâŚ
Kirasaka is calmly and elegantly drinking black coffee in front of me, so I canât help looking like child in front of her which I donât really mind.
In front of the bustling hall filled with students from Sakura Hill Academy, a large screen hangs down.
Instead of showing the expected video, the screen displays todayâs schedule for our school.
In the morning, there will be activities for the whole group, followed by a visit to a local market before noon to buy souvenirs for our families. After that, weâll be divided into groups for the rest of the day to explore an unknown area and enjoy Okinawan cuisine.
I hope we wonât have to walk too much.
Student trips can go either way, some schools require students to bring their own casual clothes, but our school insists on us wearing our uniforms.
This might have its pros and cons, but Iâm in favour because I donât have to prepare three daysâ worth of outfits.
On the contrary, Shizuku is from the faction that wishes they could wear their own clothes, and Kirasaka doesnât seem to care. On the second day, today, as well, we wore the same old uniforms without any change.
The students from our school, dressed in uniform, gather at the entrance as they did the previous day and board their designated buses one by one.
Inside the bus, itâs the same seating arrangement as yesterday, and there are no students beside me. Yuuto has moved to the back, where Nakayama and Miyashita are sitting.
ââŚItâs kind of irritating.â
I glanced at Yuuto, who had flowers in both the hands and muttered, when I heard a small cough from the seat in front of me.
âMinato-kun?â
âBe careful with your words, or your tongue will get burnt.â
Amidst the engine noise of the bus, the voice from the front sounds as if itâs growling.
âŚItâs genuinely scary.
Even though I thought I muttered at a volume that no one around me could hear, it was terrifying that they responded without missing a single word.
Letâs keep quiet about our thoughts. Speaking carelessly might put Minatoâs life in danger.
As the hotel staff bid farewell to the students who are enjoying their youth with a sales smile, Sakura Hill Academy sets off towards the Peace Memorial Park.
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Archived Comments
Mirilu (on 2023-09-23 21:56:22):
Canât believe that this bro had the audacity to feel annoyed about Yuutoâs two flowers, lmao