Chapter 15: The black hand closing in on her.

Ten minutes past the appointed time of 4:30 pm, Amane did not show up.

　This was something that had never happened before.
She is a good girl.
She once told me that the voice-over industry works on a minute-by-minute schedule, so being late is strictly forbidden.

　I tried sending her a message, but she did not reply.

　Not even a read.

She told me she was called out by someone on the baseball team, but I wonder if that errand is taking too long.　Probably some sort of confession that he wants to go out with her.

　Speaking of the baseball club, what comes to mind is Yuuya Asano, who is also a member of Class 1.
I mean, he’s the only one whose name and face match.

Asano had shown some signs of liking Amane-chan in the past.
However, Asano is also a member of that pig’s gang.
So I thought he would never make a pass on Amane-chan…….

(Worst case scenario, let’s think)

　I have that habit.
After all, I’ve been a childhood friend of the worst piggy girl for many years.
I had to always think and act with the worst case scenario in mind.

　I immediately sent a text message on my phone.
The person on the other end of the line was not Amane-chan.
It was the so-called “trump card” that I had planned to use if something happened to her.
I sent it to that person.

Then, I immediately started to make my move.

　I headed for the first field used by the baseball team.

　It seemed that the team was playing a red-and-white game today, and there was a different kind of tension in the air than at a normal practice session.

　I looked over the back net to find Asano.
He is a pitcher, but I couldn’t see him on the mound.

　I asked a second-year club member who was nearby.

“Asano?　Oh, he’s not here.”

“I see.
Is he hurt or something?”

“No, not injured.
Skipping.
He’s been skipping a lot lately.
He’s a special student.”

　He asked me to bring him in if I saw him.

　The baseball team is famous for its strict coaching.
They are very conscious and there are few who slack off.
However, Amane-chan was summoned by a member of the baseball club.
This naturally means that the members of the baseball club who are slacking off are the most suspicious.

　My next stop was the freshman wing of the east school building, an empty classroom at the east end of the building.
It is always used by the pig as an after-school feeding ground, or rather, a hangout.
If Asano was the “culprit,” he would be there.
I sent a new e-mail and told “trump card” about it.

Sure enough—–

“Ka-Kazu-kun!”

I ran into an empty classroom and was greeted by the tearful face of Amane-chan and the hostility of three men, including Asano, a member of the baseball team.

　Asano put his arm around Amane-chan’s shoulders in a familiar manner.
Amane-chan desperately turned her face away from him, but he seemed to be pressuring her to kiss him.

“Oi.
What do you want.
Badge-less”

　Asano’s crony A said in a low voice.
He was a big guy with a gold badge.
He was a special student in the judo club.
His red nose and puffy face made him look very ugly.

“Go home.
This is no place for you.”

　Crony B said.
This one had a silver badge, and his eyes were glaringly ugly.

　I ignored them and asked Asano.
Of course, calmly.
Peacefully.

“What are you doing?　Not even going to club activities.”

“Shut up!”

Asano barked, contorting his handsome face as he caught Amane-chan.

“On the field, the seniors are getting mad at you.
Isn’t it bad for a special student to skip training?”

“Shut up.
I’m the one with the gold badge, so don’t you go question me about it like you’re a significant.”

“I’ll tell the senior that you skipped club activities to hit on girls.
He might even take away your gold badge.”

“Like I said, shut up!”

　Asano barked again.
He used his momentum to push Amane-chan away from him.
I’m glad to see that he’s still so easily provoked.
He probably feels guilty for slacking off.
I could tell this guy was petty because I had seen the way he heckled the pig.

　I quickly approached her and held her in my arms.
“This guy!” Red Nose reached for me, but I managed to keep my distance in the nick of time.

“Are you okay?　Amane-chan?”

“Y-yes …….
Kazu-kun……”

　In my arms, she became a stone cold look on her face.

　The face of the handsome special student is stained red with humiliation.

“What is it with this guy? He seems defiant.
Eh?　Asano-kun?”

Grinning and giggling, he is smiling.
Rubbing his hands together like flies, I look back and forth between Asano and Red Nose.
He’s a bat-sh*t obvious.

　Asano said.

“Don’t bother me, you geeky nobody.
I was just trying to have a ‘good deal’ with her.”

“A good deal?”

　I looked at Amane’s face.
She was shaking her head vigorously.
Her shoulders are still shaking.

“It doesn’t look that way to me, though?”

“Of course not.
I said that if she went out with me, she would get a gold badge.
If she doesn’t get it, she’ll be in trouble, no?”

　Asano smiled confidently.
It was an ugly smile.
If it was a smile brought about by his talent and effort, it would not be like this.
It should be more dazzling.
But this one was ugly.
It is because his confidence is based on the borrowed “authority” of others.

“Do you have the right to decide the color of Amane’s badge?”

“…….”

“That pig told you that, didn’t she?　To seduce Amane like that.
You were ordered to take her away from me, weren’t you? That pig.”

　That pig.

　Both red-nosed and gawking eyes were aghast at me saying such a thing about the most popular idol of the school, a voice-over idol at the peak of her popularity.

“T-that pig, you mean Rua?”

“Is that what they call the piggy master in the pig world?”

“W-what are you thinking?　T-t-that is Princess Rua, that’s what you should call her.”

　Asano is a bit amused by the fact that he’s so frightened for some reason.
For some reason, Asano is a little bit funny.
He’s a small man.

“Don’t think you can just go home like this, you.”

Red-nose is turning red not only on his nose, but all over his face.

　He stands in front of us with his huge figure.

“Are you sure about this?　You want to get into a violent situation?”

“Yeah?”

“The judo and baseball teams’ special students are not supposed to be involved in violence.
The club itself will be suspended for joint responsibility.”

　Asano showed a blatantly frightened expression.

“K-Kimura, that’s not good.”

“I don’t give a damn.”

　The red-nosed one showed no sign of fear.
He smiled, showing his yellowed teeth.

“I know.
When the seniors were lynched last year, the school covered it up.
Our club has been doing well lately.
We’ll be fine this time, too.

“……”

“And he has badge-less.　It’s not going to be a big deal.
It will be fine.”

　I covered Amane behind my back and moved forward.

“Then I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.
No matter how much the school tries to cover it up, I will definitely spread the word.
I will definitely make it important.
I’ll make it go up in flames.”

“Haa.
What can you do?”

“Who do you think spread the word about Amane-chan’s nekomimi dance here?”

　Red Nose looked surprised.

“No way, you?”

“Who knows.
Just be prepared to go out there and set it up.
Get ready to be at the top of the online news.”

“….You little….”

　The red-nosed fist clenched tightly.

　Of course, this is just stalling for time.
Asano is a novice, but this red nose is a simpleton.
When he gets angry, he will lash out without thinking twice.
There was no way I could win a fight with a special student of the judo club.
There was no way I could protect Amane-chan.

　That’s why.

I bought time.

　Time until the trump card came.

“What are you guys doing!!”

　A dignified voice echoed through the empty classroom.

　The one who entered the room with her silver hair fluttering was the beautiful student council president.

　Suzuka Kocho.

　She glared at us with a sharp and piercing gaze.

“A fight in a place like this?　That doesn’t sound very calm.
Explain to me what’s going on here.”

President Kocho’s voice was full of cold power.
Asano, Red Nose, and Gyoro backed away as if frightened.

“No, no, we’re, you know, ……”

“It’s not a big deal, President.”

　I explained on behalf of the three mumbling idiots.

“The three idiots were upset because he had been dumped by a girl and their blood was up in their heads.
I was just telling them off calmly.”

” Dumped?　For that?”

　Phew, she sighed.
She probably thought it was a bigger deal than that.

“As I recall, your name is Asano-kun, the special student on the baseball team, wasn’t it?　Don’t do anything stupid.
You’re going to ruin your gold badge.”

“N-no, we’re not… ……right”

“O-ou.
We were just messing around.”

　Asano and Red Nose both nodded in agreement.

　As I had expected, these guys are weak against power.

　Those who have been made stronger by power become strangely docile in the presence of even stronger power.

　After the three idiots had quietly left, the chairman’s sharp eyes locked on me.

“For crying out loud, what a disgraceful boy you are, Kazu Suzuki.”

“I’m sorry.”

　I was so ashamed of myself, but I had no choice.
Amane-chan was still clinging to my arm.
I tried to let go, but she wouldn’t let go.
I wonder.
Is it an appeal to prevent the beautiful president from taking me away?

“I guess I was right about you being a scary person”

“I told you that’s too much of a stretch.”

Even if I told her that, she would not believe me.
She was staring at me with her beautiful eyes.

“I heard that you insulated yourself from Rua-san,”

“Yes, I guess so.”

“Until now, you have been hidden in the shadow of the sun, Rua, and have been invisible to everyone.
Once separated from that sun, you could see her true form.
Is that what you mean?”

　I shook my head.

“All the time, ever since I was a kid, I’ve seen all kinds of people flocking to those in power.
I’m just drawing on that experience.”

　She sighed.

“Rua, as the daughter of the Takayashiki family and a popular voice actress, you have an unusual amount of power.
And you, who were close to her, are also an anomaly.”

“I don’t know.
Well, that’s not the point.”

　I changed the subject.

“What is making the special students grow like that is the badge system.
I want the student council to improve it as soon as possible.”

The president looked away as if I had hit a sore spot.

“It’s time for the students to leave school.
Both of you should go home as soon as possible.”

　It was already dark outside.
The lights were on in the other classrooms that could be seen from the windows.

　With a steady, rhythmic thump of her footsteps, the beautiful student council president left.

“Haa～～～～～～.”

Amane-chan let out a long sigh.
The tension is released, and it seems that she is suddenly tired.

“I-I was scared.
…… If Kazu hadn’t come, I don’t know what would have happened.”

“You have to be more careful.
You’re a popular girl, Amane-chan.”

　Amane-chan’s cheeks turned red.

“I want to be popular only with Kazuma-kun.”

“You can’t do that.
You’re that attractive.”

“……I want it”

Hmm, Amane-chan grew taller.
She closed her eyes and put her nose to my nose.
It was her cue to beg for a kiss.

　I responded to the request by gently biting the petal that was poked out.

“And why did the President come?”

“I called her.”

“Eh? How?”

“I sent an e-mail to the student council address.
With a code that only she would understand.”

A code?

“[Black butterfly, the freshman wing is empty, and I’m lost in the classrooms.]”

I apologize to President Kocho, but…

　I could not forget that exciting scene.

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