After school that day...

"Ah! Ichika-san!"

"Oh~! It’s Tsubasa-chan!"

I was talking with Nanase Tsubasa-chan for the first time since April. Ever since May started, we’d both been busy with midterm exams and stuff... so we hadn’t really had a chance to talk~

"Tsubasa-chan! Have you been doing well since May started?"

"Yes! Although... I’m still having trouble dealing with Hōsen-kun as usual... ah! That reminds me... I need to apologize to you, Ichika-san."

"Hm~? What for~? I don’t remember you ever doing anything bad to me at all~?"

"No no, during the study sessions in the library for the midterms... I heard that three boys from our class, Shiratori-kun, Kaga-kun and Mikami-kun, caused some trouble for you, Ichika-san!? As someone from the same class, I must apologize!"

As she said that, Tsubasa-chan bowed her head toward me and apologized.

If it were the old me... I probably would’ve taken advantage of her submissive attitude and provoked her endlessly into a fight, but... the current me can’t do something that cruel anymore.

"It’s totally fine~! At this point, I don’t really care about it! If anything... those three were probably just forced to act because they couldn’t go against Hōsen-kun’s orders, right?"

"Yes... all of Class D’s actions during the midterms were under Hōsen-kun’s orders. They were picking fights with other classes... hoping to possibly gain Private Points or Class Points..."

"If anything... I feel bad for those three? Their plan failed and on top of that, they ran away from me... if Hōsen-kun found out, they’d definitely be punished with what he calls violence~!"

On top of that, Hōsen-kun was already beaten by the combination of me and Kiyotaka-senpai~

Well... judging by his personality... he’s probably still holding a grudge, right?

"Yes... that’s exactly what happened..."

"Uwaah... that’s kind of sad~"

Mikami-kun, Shiratori-kun, Kaga-kun... my condolences to all three of you...

"No! That’s not nearly enough!? Especially Mikami-kun, who apparently tried to lay a hand on you, Ichika-san... I absolutely cannot forgive him!"

"Um~? Tsubasa-chan?"

Umm... for some reason, Tsubasa-chan is getting extremely fired up?

"Ah! Speaking of which! If you talk about them, there they are!"

"Wha... where?"

"“““Ugh... Nanase-san...”””"

Was it a coincidence? Mikami-kun, Shiratori-kun and Kaga-kun happened to pass by nearby.

The moment the three of them saw us, they started trembling as if they’d seen monsters.

"...Shiratori-kun, Kaga-kun, Mikami-kun? Why are you standing still? Leave immediately. And... Mikami-kun? For the rest of this month... you will properly receive my gracious ‘education’. Understood?"

"“““Y-Yes!!!”””"

As soon as Tsubasa-chan declared that... the three of them ran off, completely trembling...

Huh?

...Did I just hear something I shouldn’t ignore?...

"Um... Tsubasa-chan? What exactly did you do to those three~?"

"No, nothing serious at all? I just gave them a little ‘education’. It’s not like I’d do anything as rough as Hōsen-kun, right~?"

"They looked absolutely terrified though!?"

With that eerie smile she’s showing and cracking her knuckles... honestly, I really can’t believe that what Tsubasa-chan gave them was anything remotely gentle~

"Also, regarding Mikami-kun... for the rest of this month, he’ll continuously receive my gracious ‘education’. His crime of trying to lay a hand on you, Ichika-san, in a fit of anger is far heavier than the other two!"

"I see~... is that so..."

Umm... I might not be in a position to say this about others, but... that really doesn’t sound like something a sane person would do~

'Mikami-kun, you’re completely pitiful... is this... what they call pity?'

I had felt sorry for Takuya and Tsubasa-chan’s circumstances before, but... I always thought of it as something unrelated to me.

'Back in the original world, as for Takuya... we only had the bare minimum level of affection as childhood friends...'

I never thought that the first person I’d truly feel genuine pity for... would be Mikami-kun, who tried to lay a hand on me...

"That’s how much I like you, Ichika-san!"

"Eh? Could it be... Tsubasa-chan, are you into that kind of thing?"

"Fweh!? N-No!!! I meant that as a friend!!!"

Good... she’s blushing and desperately trying to explain my little misunderstanding~

I’m not entirely sure, but... it seems like she’s finally back to her usual self...

"Ahem! However, Ichika-san, that’s a different matter during the special exam. Don’t forget that we’re enemies to each other, okay?"

"Yeah! Of course! For this special exam... let’s both do our best!"

"Yes! I’m looking forward to it!"

And then... Ichika-chan and Tsubasa-chan exchanged a firm handshake.

'Yeah yeah! This kind of feeling like we’re comrades-in-arms is nice~!'

...And then, at that moment, Tsubasa-chan’s expression changed from her earlier shy smile... to a serious expression as if she had made up her mind...

"By the way... Ichika-san, lastly... there’s something I want to ask you..."

"What is it~? What’s wrong~?"

Even though she spoke to me with such a serious expression, I responded casually... but the very next moment, I would regret that carelessness...

"I’ve been thinking this for a while, but... are you... a person from the White Room?"