Volume 10, Chapter 3: The Difficulty of Salvation Part 6

There werent very many stores that were suitable enough for meeting up after school.

Usually, people would meet at the cafe in Keyaki Mall, but today was different.

Thanks for coming today.

Its no big deal, Hirata. I wanted to talk to you as well.

Im happy to hear that. Anyway, how about we walk for a bit?

After joining up together at the southern entrance, Hirata did a quick check of the surrounding area before we started walking.

Sorry Ayanokji-kun. Do you mind if I change our plans a little?

How so?

Is it a problem if we talk in my room instead? I think Id feel better if we did.

I dont particularly mind either way.

Thanks for understanding.

It seemed as though the mall wasnt a very good place for what he wanted to talk about.

Looks like he didnt want anyone to listen in on our conversation.

Hirata initiated some small talk as we walked toward the dormitories.

Our first year is already almost over. How did yours go, Ayanokji-kun?

He let out a sigh as he looked up to the sky.

Between being sent to the uninhabited island and being forced to participate in the training camp, it was quite the tiring year.

Yeah. It was definitely tough, but I still had fun. Ever since enrolling here, I feel like Ive been able to successfully build trusting relationships with the people around me.

Yeah, I think so too.

I didnt deny it. There were still many people in the class who hated one another. However, I suppose the enemy of an enemy is a friend. Throughout the process of being forced to work together, bonds had gradually begun to take shape.

Honestly There were never any problems until this exam started.

A shadow loomed over Hiratas smiling face.

Is that what you wanted to talk about?

Yep. Sorry Im well aware that you dont want to talk about it.

I wouldnt actively involve myself, no matter what kind of special exam it was.

During previous exams, Horikita had always disregarded my feelings and asked for my cooperation.

Interestingly enough, it was the exact opposite for this exam.

Horikita didnt turn to me for help, while Hirata did.

It appeared as though Horikita was steadily becoming more and more mature these days.

Perhaps she had come to understand that I wouldnt cooperate, as the frequency of her requests was also petering out, little by little.

This exam I just cant think of a solution. No matter how many times I think about it, nothing comes to mind.

No matter how many times

Looking closely, I could see dark circles beneath Hiratas eyes.

It made me wonder if he had been thinking about the exam all night, unable to get enough sleep.

It sounds difficult. In an exam like this one, the more you think about your classmates, the harder it gets.

Eh?

Never mind, dont worry about it.

If I were to say something careless here, Hirata would only plunge even deeper into the darkness.

For now, it was probably best just to leave it alone.

If if theres a way to save the class, please tell me.

Because of my response, he had somehow gotten the wrong idea, thinking that I had an answer for him.

Do you really think its impossible to save up 20 million private points?

Ive tried running the numbers, but its just not possible to get that many points. Yesterday, I tried to casually bring it up with my upperclassmen in the soccer club, but theyre all waiting for the special exams theyll be facing after this.

They werent able to spare any points, then?

Yeah

At the end of the day, the number of methods available to avoid losing someone was far too limited.

Sorry, I cant think of anything else. Ill definitely tell you if I do.

Is that so Well, thank you.

It was the best answer I could give him at this point.

Trying his hardest to smile, Hirata thanked me.

This special exam was extremely easy, yet also exceedingly difficult.

If you change your point of view a little bit, the true goal of this exam becomes incredibly clear.

But Hirata couldnt see it.

This was just an exam for us to remove an unnecessary student.

From the moment Chabashira explained the rules, both Kenji and I had already determined the end point of the exam.

Of course, theres no way of knowing who would be expelled. All that mattered was making sure it wasnt you.

However, it was different for people like Hirata.

Hed never be able to get past knowing who would be expelled.

This was why he had gotten stuck within a maze, unable to find the exit.

Ayanokji-kun, do you think its fine for someone to be expelled?

It would be nice if nobodys expelled when the exam is over. But thats difficult in this case.

Of course. Youre right. But, there must be somethi-

Havent you had a hard time sleeping because you already know the answer to that?

I spoke up, interrupting him.

Thats

Silence came between us as we approached the entrance to the dormitories.

This was mainly because we could see several students chatting in the lobby.

The true problem, however, was a bit deeper than that.

Our eyes met with a certain person sitting on one of the lobby sofas.

Well well well. If it isnt Hirata boy and Ayanokji boy. What a toootal coincidence this must be.

Hey Kenji-kun. You waiting for someone?

He seemed to notice our gazes immediately after we entered the building.

Are you saying youd be concerned if I had plans to meet with someone?

Kenji responded to Hiratas question with a question of his own.

I might think its unusual.

I dont dislike your honesty, but unfortunately I am not.

Although he had answered the question, it still didnt explain what he was doing here.

Generally speaking, Kenji wasnt the kind of person to spend his time hanging around in a place like this.

Lets go.

Hirata walked to the elevator and reached out to press the call button.

Thereupon, Kenji abruptly spoke up from behind us.

Well, youd better be doing your best to muster up the wisdom to make it through this exam.

You never change, do you, Kenji-kun?

Hirata asked, Kenjis attitude seeming to weigh on his mind a little.

Hiratas finger had stopped just short of pressing the button.

Theres no reason for me to change for an exam like this.

Is that really true?

It was rare to see Hirata getting worked up like this.

He turned around and faced Kenji. Of course, he still didnt glare at him.

Hirata was always calm and composed, until the very end.

You say theres no reason for you to change, but honestly, Im wondering if youre the one who needs to change more than anyone. Im worried that our classmates might single you out and make an example of you.

This was both Hiratas way of showing concern and making a threat.

They were words that strongly conveyed his desire for cooperation.

Hirata was hoping that Kenji would have some interest, even if only a little.

Your concerns are unfounded. Rather, shouldnt you, the leader of the class, be the one doing something to save me?

Until the very end, Kenji had no intention of changing this do nothing stance of his.

There are things that even I cant do. I may not be able to live up to your expectations.

Oh you definitely can.

Despite Hiratas lack of self-confidence, Kenji piled expectations on him without the slightest bit of hesitation.

I found myself wondering if he was being sincere or not, but I was unable to tell.

Getting up from the sofa, Kenji approached Hirata and lightly patted him on the shoulder.

After youre done licking your classmates wounds, please be sure to throw out the unnecessary trash.

The moment these words left Kenjis mouth, Hirata firmly pushed the call button.

Lets go Ayanokji-kun.

Yeah.

Hiratas tone, which had been amicable up until this point, now contained slight traces of anger.

There is trash among your classmates.

Hirata probably couldnt help but feel irritated by what Kenji had implied.

He only spoke up after the elevator door closed behind us.

Haa Sorry. I let you see something a bit unseemly.

Dont worry about it. Kenjis opinions are troublesome.

Hirata forced a light smile and slightly lowered his head.

So he struck a chord with you back there as well Deep down, I know that preventing the expulsion is unrealistic. Despite everything, somewhere on the inside, Ive already given up.

The elevator arrived at Hiratas floor. We disembarked and headed over to his room.

Come on in.

Sorry for intruding

This was the first time I had been in Hiratas room. Fundamentally speaking, the interior decor was simple, similar to my own room. There was a light, gentle scent in the air, similar to that of air freshener.

Although it was a bit plain, it was becoming of him. A very well-arranged room.

Have a seat. Would you like some coffee?

Yes. Sorry to bother you.

Dont worry about it. I was the one who asked.

This was a relatively new experience for me, since I was usually the one entertaining guests.

As a continuation of what we were talking about a bit ago

He spoke up once again as he prepared the coffee in the kitchen.

I wonder if theres really no way to save everyone.

I wonder. Maybe I just cant think of anything.

I gave the same answer I did earlier.

Despite knowing that this would be my answer, Hirata still seemed to be looking for salvation.

I had intended for my answer to console him, but this appeared to have been counterproductive.

If you cant think of anything, I doubt anyone else will be able to.

Youre giving me far too much credit.

I had no idea when exactly he started to evaluate me so highly.

Ive felt that youre one of the most dependable people in the class ever since that matter with Karuizawa-san.

Hirata spoke as though he had seen the true nature of my heart.

Im not really sure thats accurate.

After the water finished boiling, he handed me a cup of coffee.

Im being honest. Though, youre a modest person, so youll probably deny it.

At this point, no matter what I said, it wouldve been a waste of effort.

Even if I denied his claims, Hirata still wouldnt believe me.

I began to think about how itd be better to change the subject, but Hirata quickly continued, seeming to anticipate my intention to do so.

The fact that someone has to be expelled during this exam I just cant come to terms with it, no matter how hard I try. Theres no such thing as someone who wouldnt care if a classmate was forced to leave.

Its not like I dont get where youre coming from, but you simply dont have any other choice. We only have until the weekend to come to a decision.

A decision, huh? Ayanokji-kun Do you think somebody in particular should be expelled?

He looked at me with peering eyes.

While they had a gentle look to them, they also appeared to contain something else entirely.

Not really.

It may have been interpreted as an unfairly neutral statement, but it was my honest thoughts on the matter. Even though there were a few students up for consideration, nobody wanted to openly nominate one for expulsion. It would be better to determine who to expel with a class discussion instead.

We have no choice but to come to terms with it, whoever it ends up being.

How level-headed. Compared to someone like me, youre far more cut out to be the class leader.

Hirata had taken the initiative to pull the class together earlier in the year, but his words were now filled with a timid uncertainty.

There was a single, specific thing he could do to prepare himself.

What should I do moving forward? How exactly should I face this exam?

It may be a little out of line to give him advice, but Hirata was always frequently helping those around him.

I wanted to do something to help him

I dont want you to take my word for it, but Ill tell you what I think.

Okay.

Lets put idealistic thoughts about saving everyone to the side for a moment. Youve been racking your brain, asking yourself Who should we get rid of? for a while now, but you still havent been able to come to a decision.

My words were clearly troubling him a bit, but Hirata ultimately nodded his head in agreement.

In which case, how about you try doing the opposite? Instead of thinking Who should we get rid of?, think Who should I save? instead.

Who should I save? Of course I want save everyo-

Attach a priority to each student in the class. Rank everyone, including yourself, one at a time from most to least important. Of course, there may be some students with roughly the same importance, but you should still try to do it anyway. You can make it simple and base it on who you like the most, or you could base it on how much theyve contributed to the class so far.

By drawing up a ranking like this, there would inevitably be a student in last place.

Thats But

It was an incredibly straightforward solution.

However, Hirata wouldnt be able to do it. His heart was still stuck on saving everyone.

He probably thought ranking his classmates like this would be an act of foolishness.

Lets say I make a ranking. The list I come up with wouldnt necessarily be the same as the one our classmates come up with.

With this excuse, he continued to run away.

At this rate, the day of the special exam would arrive and hed be completely defenceless.

Thats fine. I think you should start by coming to your own decision first.

For now, this was the only advice I could give him.

Moreover, whatever judgement he would make from here was up to him to decide on his own.

I took a grateful sip of the coffee he brewed for me.

It seemed to be from a different brand than the coffee I usually bought, as it had a somewhat potent bitterness to it.

Well, yeah. Youre probably right Recently Ive been consumed by the desire to run away from all of this.

Hirata took my advice and earnestly tried his best to come to terms with it.

It probably wouldnt go smoothly right away. The idea may leave a bad taste in his mouth and end up being rejected completely.

However, he still tried his best to accept it with an open mind.

Haa Alright. Thank you.

Hirata squeezed out words of appreciation.

For the time being, our conversation seemed to reach a stopping point.

Can I ask something a bit insensitive?

Suddenly changing the subject, I decided to try asking about something I was curious about.

Hm? Whats up?

Has anyone confessed to you since your break-up with Karuizawa?

Well thats an unexpected question. I never thought youd be asking me something like that, Ayanokji-kun.

There was a mix of surprise and bewilderment on Hiratas face.

I was interested in Hiratas potential love interests because of my past conversation with our classmate, Mii-chan. Before the end-of-year exam, she had reached out to me for advice because she was interested in Hirata, so I was curious about what had happened with that. I found myself wondering if she had already taken action.

Well, I wont say who, but yes, a girl has reached out to me.

In other words, girls were already beginning to confess to Hirata.

Whether it was Mii-chan or not, I had no intention of pressing him any further to find out.

Regardless, attractive guys like Hirata really are incredible. Girls were constantly throwing themselves at him, even if he didnt do anything. No, rather, Hiratas popularity stemmed from the way he carried himself. He wasnt slacking off in any way.

Are you going out with this girl?

Certainly not. Im not going to go out with anyone right now.

He decisively asserted his stance on the matter.

Is there someone you like already or something?

I could understand where he was coming from if he only had eyes for the one his heart was set on.

Dating someone is just too much for me right now. Im unqualified.

If thats how it is for you, then it must be nothing more than a pipe dream for someone like me.

In the first place, when it comes to falling in love, theres no need for qualifications.

Im just not fit for love.

The more capable the person, the more humble they are.

The less capable the person, the more arrogant they are.

Ultimately, our conversation ended without either of us delving too much deeper.

(Part 6 End)