I Will Inspire Your Insipid Days - Volume 1 Chapter 1.6

Thus

Satsuki-san scratched her head, seemingly at a loss for the right words. It appeared as though she was trying to find a way to guide the conversation back on track without directly addressing my suspicion.

“Let’s forget about that for now and go back to talking about Tachibana Natsume. Originally, there were kids like that at Shumonzuka in the past, too. Kids who couldn’t leave their room. Kids who couldn’t go to class. The two-person rooms were also a kind of relief measure for such students. In reality, the fact that Yonon had to deliver documents to Tachibana Natsume’s room was unnecessary, right? Normally, there should have been a roommate.”

“I did bring up that point.”

“Did you ask Tachibana about why her roommate left school?”

“I haven’t formed a relationship close enough to delve into such complicated matters.”

While lighting a second cigarette, Satsuki-san murmured quietly.

“She said it was because of ‘despair.’ Tough, isn’t it?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Yeah, she despaired. Well, I didn’t have a direct meeting with her or anything. But, Tachibana, she’s always drawing in her room, right? Unable to attend school, she pours all her excessive energy into her work, day and night. Whenever she publishes her work on the web, she gets various responses, and besides that, she receives requests for album cover illustrations from record companies, illustration orders from publishers, and even invitations for solo exhibitions. She’s always doing something in her room, or so I’ve heard.”

My feelings towards Tachibana-san herself are more or less “She’s an odd person,” but at the same time, I also hold respect for “Natsume.”

So, I wondered.

Why did Tachibana-san’s former roommate leave Shumonzuka Girls’ Academy?

“Living in the same room as ‘Natsume’… what did they despair over?”

“Yonon might find this hard to understand, but it’s there, the kind of struggles that young people go through.”

Satsuki-san looked at me with wide eyes.

I could only tilt my head in confusion, but Satsuki-san started to explain calmly.

“There are many in the world who compare themselves to others. Imagine having big dreams and knocking on the doors of Shumonzuka, only to find out upon admission that someone who has already achieved great things is living in the same room, operating under completely different standards. ‘I can’t become like this, I can’t succeed unless I’m this kind of person,’ they might think.”

“I see…?”

“You don’t seem convinced… Anyway, Yonon.”

Satsuki-san suddenly changed the subject and exhaled a deep puff of purple smoke.

“Originally, why were you allowed to live alone in the dorm? What was the reason?”

“…Because I’m a Hanabishi.”

“Specifically, because ‘you’re the heir to the prestigious Hanabishi family.’ The fabricated excuse was that you weren’t accustomed to living in a cramped room with others due to being a sheltered daughter, but sooner or later, cracks would appear in that story. On the other hand, if there’s a student who knows Yonon’s circumstances, they would make the perfect roommate.”

“…I understand to some extent that Tachibana-san is a convenient student for me.”

I lowered my eyes and asked.

“But what about for Tachibana-san?”

“It’s obvious she’s the perfect fit. You can’t leave the school, can you?”

“…”

I see.

I’m completely being taken advantage of.

“Besides, supporting Tachibana Natsume’s smooth school life isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Yonon. Erasing the unnaturalness of your private life is the biggest gain, but more importantly, being able to witness outstanding creativity up close means more learning opportunities for you. For you, ‘learning’ is ‘observing’.”

Regrettably.

I found myself convinced.

Summarizing the argument, “The interests of Hanabishi Yonon and Tachibana Natsume align.”

Then… even if this is just a formality, I have no choice but to comply.

“I want to ask you something. What do you think about intentionally arranging for me and Tachibana-san to live together as a male and female in the same room, Satsuki-san?”

“No problem. Yonon isn’t just any boy. You’re a man of the Hanabishi.”

That means.

Regardless of gender, cohabitation, the teacher-student relationship… prior to considering all of that… there were no other options.

“You really hate it?”

“Of course. It’s too sudden, and I feel like I have to be mindful of the other person.”

“But, before we even got into this situation, you could have taken some measures, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean, don’t you?”

“…”

I know.

When Kanon left home, I honestly felt envious.

For me, who was immobilized by the Hanabishi family’s traditions, Kanon was the symbol of “freedom.” She rebelled against the family that restricted freedom and ultimately left me behind to leave.

I could have left if I wanted to, but I didn’t.

“I mean, I’m begging you. Despite all our talk, Shumonzuka is sensitive about its rules due to having few school regulations. We’re turning a blind eye to ‘Natsume’ as an irregular case, but that’s almost entirely up to the principal’s discretion, and that atmosphere hasn’t permeated the ground level. I worked pretty hard when arranging for you to have a room to yourself. It would really help if you moved in with her.”

“…Alright. I’ll talk to Tachibana-san about it.”

Overwhelmed by Satsuki-san’s pleading, I stood up from my seat.

***

Arriving in front of the door, I took a deep breath and then firmly pressed the intercom button.

Nothing happened. It should have rung… Maybe it’s broken?

It’s possible the device is malfunctioning. I knocked on the aluminum door, equipped with an old-fashioned knob, and a light sound echoed.

Although I expected no response, the absolute silence confirmed it.

“Tachibana-san, are you there…?”

Certainly not the words one should use in such a scene, but I decided it’s better to regret doing something than not doing anything at all. It’s almost like self-hypnosis at this point.

However, my knocks were met with no answer.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I tried turning the doorknob—and with a click, the door opened.

Is that even possible?

Should I enter, or should I turn back? There was no third option. I chose the former. Beyond the door was a narrow corridor leading to the living space.

At the same time, what appeared to be the hallway was filled with trash scattered everywhere.

“Gross,” I thought, swallowing my immediate disgust.

The girl who immerses herself in painting on the rooftop seemed too fantastical to me, making me wonder if we were even the same species, but a grim reality awaited me.

The room was a mess to the point of evoking a physiological sense of revulsion.

A high school girl lives here? I took off my shoes as a matter of manners, though I wasn’t eager to walk barefoot on the floor. Well, worrying about manners might be pointless since I’m entering uninvited.

The tragic scene left no place to step. It was as if a burglar had ransacked the place.

Carefully securing my footing, I tiptoed down the corridor.

It was dark and cold. Artificial chill filled the room. The temperature difference from the muggy outside air sent shivers down my spine.

There was no sign of human presence. But turning back now after coming this far would be strange. Suppressing the urge to about-face, I pressed on.