I Went Back to Being a High School Student Again, but I Was Rejected by My Childhood Friend, Whom I Thought Was In Love With Me, So I tried to Suicide With the Most Beautiful Girl In the School. - Chapter 5

Bully

　After I parted with Atsuta-sensei, I went back to my classroom.

　After school, some time had already passed, but some students still had stayed over and were chatting with each other.

“Wow, what happened, Akki? You’re soaking wet! “

“Wet all over, aren’t you― “

　I had gotten used to the nickname “Akki” over the past week, so much so that I no longer felt nostalgia for it.

　I see three girls laughing at me.

　They wear heavy makeup, uniforms out of place, and dyed hair.

　They are a group of gals who have half given up on the university entrance exam, as is evident from the fact that they are wasting their time without studying by staying after school and playing around during their senior year of high school.

　Incidentally, they basically treat everyone equally and are miraculous in that they are ‘otaku-friendly gals.’

　One exception is Natsuki, whom they dislike very much.

　While most of my classmates simply ignore Natsuki to avoid getting involved with her, these girls are talking behind her back and harassing her.

“Akki, why are you just standing there? “

　One of the girls asks me, wondering why I’m standing here in silence.

“No…. are you guys the only ones left in the classroom? “

　Natsuki should have returned to the classroom earlier than me, but I pity her for being alone in the midst of all these girls…

“That’s right, why? “

　I answered with a grin that I couldn’t hold back.

“I thought I saw a girl with dark hair go into the classroom before me. Did I see it wrong? “

“You must have seen it wrong. We’ve been talking alone for a long time.

　Says the gal with a puzzled look on her face.

　She doesn’t look like she’s lying. If Natsuki had been here, she would have told them proudly that they had been mean to her.

　If so, it seems that Natsuki did not leave her bag in the classroom. She might have left her baggage near the stairs, which I did not notice. She must have already left.

“Then, I must have been mistaken.”

　I say and move to my seat.

　Then I take out a towel from my bag and wipe my head first.

　Since I had fortunately brought my jersey with me today, I’ll change my clothes before going home.

　But I wonder if I can change my clothes here… Won’t I be accused of s*xual harassment?

“Get changed quickly, or else you’ll catch a cold!”

“Yes, take off your clothes quickly and wipe yourself slowly, slowly and s*xily, and then change your clothes.”

　…seems to be okay. Or rather, I was the one that being sexually harassed.

　I let out a sigh. I don’t think I can keep up with these gals’ groove…

　After sighing inwardly, I take off my uniform, wipe myself with a towel, and dab myself with a citrus-type antiperspirant sheet.

“Wow, it smells like club activities.”

“You’ve never been in a club, right?”

　Kyahaha, the three gals laugh.

　I have been like this since high school, but now that I am an old man in my twenties, I realize even more that gals are incomprehensible creatures of a different dimension.

　After I finished changing into my jersey, I looked at the three gals again.

　If they would stop bothering Natsuki, I would feel much better mentally.

　I don’t consider myself friends with Natsuki.

　Still, I’d like to be of some help to her for suddenly scaring her.

“Iori, can I talk to you alone for a bit? “

　I called out to Iori Towa, the leader of the group.

“Oh, you’re going to confess to her? “

“He’s going for a new love, to forget his old one― “

　The two gals on either side of Iori were happily cheering for me.

　I could still understand this level of ridicule, so I felt relieved rather than annoyed.

　Therefore, I ignored their ridicule and looked at Iori.

　…This no-care attitude against their words seems to have had the opposite effect.

“Akki, are you serious…”

“Go for it, Towa―.”

　The gals on either side of her were saying to Iori with a serious looks on their faces.

“Err, what’s wrong with talking here? “

　Iori asked somewhat shyly while playing with the ends of her long blonde hair, which she always proudly told me she had dyed at a famous hair salon in the city.

“Ah, yes. I’d like to talk to you alone if possible…”

　I say.

“You’d rather we didn’t intrude? “

“So brave, didn’t you always say ‘Riaju, explode’ before? “

　The gals on either side of her are shining their eyes.

　Iori patted them on the head and said, [You’re annoying!] and then stood up.

“Isn’t there no one in the hallway right now? “

　She said and left the classroom.

　I followed Iori and walked with her.

“Akki, but you already have someone you love…”

“I want to forget about my childhood friend and make Towa happy.~”

　They said,

　…Talking like this, I wonder why they bully Natsuki, even though they are usually good girls.

　I thought something like that and left the classroom.

　Iori had said that we would talk in the hallway, but I guess she didn’t plan to talk in front of the classroom.

　When I looked at her, I saw that he was walking to the front of the stairs.

　It is not too close, but not that far that if the two gals come out of the classroom to eavesdrop, they can easily find us.

　It’s not a bad place to have a secret talk.

　I stand next to Iori and talk to her.　

“Sorry to take up your time, Iori. Anyway, I’d like to talk to you about something…”

　Before I can get to the point.

“I’ll accept it―”

　Iori says to me.

“…uh? What? “

　I say, surprised at the suddenness of it, and she peered at me with an upward glance.

　Then she slowly opens her mouth.

“You like Towa, don’t you? “

” …what? “

“Towa too, about Akki… I’ve been thinking about you for quite a while… I was honestly hesitant because Koyoi was there, but I guess I don’t need to mind her anymore…? “

　She said in a sweet voice, tugging at the hem of my jersey.

　I’m puzzled by her words, but I think.

　In high school, I might have been popular… !?

　If I had known this in my first high school days, would anything have been different…?

　…no, nothing would have changed.

　Koyoi was everything to me back then.

　Even if I had known that other girls liked me, I would have never thought of going out with anyone other than Koyoi back then.

　But… what about now?

　Iori is a pretty high-level beautiful girl, even though she is not serious about her studies, and she bullies Natsuki.

　Isn’t it wonderful to live a new high school life with her?

　… That might not be true.

　I can’t imagine that Iori, a normal high school girl, and I, an adult man, could have a good relationship if we became lovers.

　I want Iori to date someone of her own age, not a fake high school student like me, and live a healthy adolescence.

“…sorry, that’s not what I’m talking about.”

　Iori tilted her head, not seeming to understand what was being said.

“I think you should stop harassing Natsuki.”

　Hearing my words, Iori’s cute expression turned into one of disgust.

“Ha? What do you mean? “

　Iori asks me in a hard tone of voice.

“I was talking with Atsuta-sensei earlier, and he seemed to be concerned about Natsuki. If you’re picking on her openly, you might be in trouble soon.”

“What? You want me to be friends with her? “

　Iori’s dislike for Natsuki was so strong that she glared at me and asked me what I meant.

“I’m not asking you to get along with her or to hang with her. You can ignore her, or you can continue to harass and talk behind her back. However, there is a possibility that our classmates will think you’re too much and call you out. Before that happens, you should not talk behind her back or hide her belongings in front of people.”

“The other kids are talking behind her back, too.”

“That’s why. You, who stand out the most, will be in the position to take the biggest share of the blame when they are all accused. No one wants to say anything that will be disadvantageous to themselves, and when that happens, you will definitely be in the spotlight, for better or worse.”

　Iori fell silent at my words.

　I guess she could imagine that scene.

“No matter what you do, there will always be people you don’t like. But sometimes, it’s risky to be hostile. So long as we can remain indifferent to each other, it’s much healthier to do so.”

　She’s in a bad mood after I said that…then she mutters somewhat sulkily.

“What’s that…”

“That’s my rule of thumb.”

　When I entered the society, I was forced to deal with unreasonable power-harassing bosses even if I didn’t want to, and I was also forced to take care of unmotivated newcomers who obviously would quit soon.

　I guess it’s not exactly the same for those who are a bully or being bullied, unlike in a company where there’s no escape. I think that if it is a relationship with a high school classmate, it won’t matter.

“What’s that?”

　Iori muttered the same line as before.

　This time, however, she was smiling slightly.

“Hey, why did you tell this only to Towa, not in front of everyone? Is it because you think Towa likes to bully her the most or something? “

　The disgust I had felt from her earlier seemed to be gone.

　However, she had an uneasy expression on her face.

“If I told all three of you at the same time, most likely, you guys would just ignore me, right? That’s why I told Iori, who’s the easiest to talk to.”

“…I see.”

　She smiled sadly at my words.

“Okay, I’ll follow Akki’s word this time.”

　Iori lets out a sigh and continues.

“To be honest, I’m getting tired of being mean to her. Towa will tell the two of them later.”

“Sorry for being annoying.”

“It’s okay. Akki, you were worried about us, weren’t you? “

　Honestly, I wasn’t really worried about Iori and the other bullies, but… I nodded silently.

　Seeing my reaction, Iori nodded in satisfaction and began to walk away.

　I guess she is going back to her classroom now that the conversation is over.

　I started to walk after Iori.

“Oh, and you know…”

“What is it? “

　Iori turns around and says

“Just saying, but. As long as you’re free, you can ask me out anytime you want.”

　Iori giggles as if only teasing me, and continues.

“If you want to overwrite your lost love with a new one, tell me as soon as possible, okay? “

“…alright.”

　I replied to her smiling face.

　――If I had been a normal high school boy and had not met Koyoi, I would have fallen in love with her immediately.

　Her smile was so attractive that I thought so.