What If I Told Tomori-san, The Girl Who's Cold Only Towards Me, That I Knew Her Secret Account? - V1 Chapter 6.4

Events on a Snowy Day ① 4

That’s probably a lie. No one who isn’t aiming to pass would be here.

Moreover, he even gave me the talisman to reassure my panicking self.

“You and I just met! You shouldn’t go this far for someone you don’t know—”

“You.”

In a calm voice that contrasts with my agitation, he admonishes me.

“You, who tried to help a stranger’s dog, are saying that?”

“!”

“It doesn’t matter if I know them or not. It’s only natural to help someone in need.”

“That…”

It was an irrefutable argument that left me speechless.

His words were exactly what I had been doing all along.

Helping students I knew and those I didn’t know.

But that’s precisely why I couldn’t just leave him alone…!

“Or is it that you’re so stupid that you can’t even understand something like that?”

“Uhh…”

Caught off guard by his sudden words, I could only fall into silence.

He seemed to purposely try to provoke my anger.

“I see, so from the beginning, you didn’t have the confidence to pass the exam, and you were just looking for an excuse to fail.”

“…Hey!”

“Instead, you can say, ‘I failed because I was helping a stray dog, so it’s not my fault,’ how pathetic, resorting to such a lowly means to protect your pride. There’s no way I can entrust this dog to someone so hopeless—”

“Fine, if you’re going to say that, then I’ll go!”

Surprising even myself, I shouted.

“But don’t you dare do anything cruel to that dog!”

“Of course not. This dog is a good boy. It’s not as rabid as you.”

“…How despicable. You must have very few friends.”

“That’s correct. You seem to have plenty. Maybe it’s because you’re good-natured to the point of being naive and foolish.”

“A loner has no right to say that to someone like me! I’m relieved! I’m so relieved to hear that you won’t even take the exam!

Saying that I won’t have to see him again, I start walking away.

His attitude infuriated me beyond measure.

And… I felt a deep sense of regret.

After he risked himself to help me and the Retriever, he suddenly said something awful.

That’s why I continued walking on the school route without ever looking back.

But… why did his attitude change so suddenly?

That’s what I was thinking as I reached the school gate of Aisu Academy—it was a moment of realization.

I finally noticed his wits and kindness.

I wanted to hurry back, but I couldn’t.

If I did that, his concern would be in vain.

(—Please. Don’t be late and make it on time. Please pass the exam. I said something like that earlier, but…)

He is the one who should pass the exam more than me!

I tightly held onto the talisman he gave me and desperately wished for it.

As the snow falling from the sky dimmed the cityscape.

My regret grew stronger.

*****

Several months later…

Unexpectedly, I encountered him again.

“Representative of the new students, please give a speech.”

It was in the auditorium of Aisu Academy, which served as the venue for the entrance ceremony.

We, who passed the exam to enter the high school section, sat in the audience seats.

At the urging of the teachers, the boy whose name I couldn’t hear that day stepped onto the stage.

“Uh, isn’t the representative Tomori?”

“I think that guy came out on top in the exam? “

The venue suddenly buzzed with excitement.

Right, one of the teachers secretly told me that I ranked second.

It was the first time in my life that I couldn’t achieve first place.

“A student I’ve never seen before. Could he be an external student?”

“Unbelievable, it’s been years since someone other than a homegrown student became the representative.”

“But, it’s that ‘Kagisaka’, you know?”

Kagisaka?

“Uh, there are rumors that he arrived late for the entrance exam?”

“Right. Even though the start time had long passed, he was allowed to take the exam as an exception.”

“Kagisaka, the majority of their family members are elites in the medical field, right?”

“Could it be that his parents are prominent figures? Like a super-elite doctor favored by politicians and bureaucrats?”

“My parents are doctors too, but they said they couldn’t compare to the Kagisaka family. They seem to have connections in the political and financial circles.”

“So that’s why the teachers let it slide?”

“In that case, the exam results don’t matter? He became the representative because of his family background!”

“That’s… Azusa, you poor thing…”

No, there’s no way that’s true!

I wanted to loudly refute the hushed conversations among my friends.

There’s no way he would be accepted as the representative just because of his family background.

Only I know the truth.

(He didn’t arrive late on purpose.)

He saved the lost Retriever that no one else tried to help.

He even went out of his way to help me, who didn’t ask for help.

He played the role of an outcast just to ensure I made it to the exam venue.

It was like something out of a Hero’s story.

“———”

However, he showed no signs of any other intentions and simply gave me a lackluster greeting.

That was our reunion.

Kimitaka Kagisaka.

Looking back, there was no doubt that I was already drawn to Kagisaka-kun at that time—