Volume 13, Chapter 1: School life is changing Part 4

That Golden Week ended in a flash, and we were back to our school lives.

The scenery remained the same, but everyday life began to change slowly.

Yo.

In the morning just after the break, Sudou was the first person I ran into, near the shoe locker at the school.

It was just a run-in with a classmate, but it was also part of that changing everyday life.

It hasnt been easy for you for a while. Are you alright now?

No problem. Its the same as before. I made it through Golden Week with no problems.

I see. You know, this vacation went by real quick.

I walked side by side with Sudou, who had adjusted his walking pace to match mine, to the classroom.

Because he had to leave the classroom for his club activities, Sudou must have heard the details from Ike or Hondou afterwards.

I didnt need to tell him what happened in that classroom, as he should have understood everything.

So you were hiding the fact youre good at studying because of Suzunes strategy, right?

I nodded my head a bit in agreement, and Sudou pouted a bit. He looked away from me and turned straight ahead.

Well, you two have been close ever since school started. A bit late now, but I understand that.

We didnt get along. If anything, at first it was more like we wanted to keep our distance from each other.

It was like that? Sorry, didnt look like that to me.

That was probably because Sudou was viewing Horikita as a person of the opposite sex.

There was no point in me pointing that out, so I skipped over his words.

I heard about it from Yousuke afterwards. You put in a good word for me, didnt you?

I cant say I was covering for you; I was only stating the facts.

You call them facts, but you didnt know the truth at that time either.

Course I know that!

Sudou got a bit angry and pouted again, as he spoke again.

It was a secret that youre a genius at math, but is the fact that youre good at fighting also a secret?

To Sudou, this aspect was apparently more important than the bit about math.

I dont know what you mean.

I pretended not to understand what he was talking about.

However, Sudou was no longer the kind of person to back down on hearing that.

Dont play dumb with me. I fought with Housen, so Im clear on it. His superhuman strength is the real deal. And hes faster than anyone Ive fought so far. Honestly, hes a monster.

Sudou said that it was precisely because he had confronted him that he was able to experience it first hand.

That was the first time Ive ever felt scared in a fight. Even now his smiling face is burnt into my brain.

Stopping, he poked his temple with his left index finger two, three times.

You were scared, huh. Even so, it looked like you fought bravely for Horikita.

Well, there was no other choice. That guy has more than a few screws loose.

I couldnt deny that. From what Ive seen up close, Housens obsession with violence was truly extraordinary.

But you had a chance to win, too, didnt you?

A few days before, Sudou was KOd by Housen only because he got baited.

In a situation that required one to keep their opponent in their sights, Housen used Horikita as bait to make Sudou expose his defenseless side.

It turned out to be fatal for Sudou, and ended the fight with his defeat.

Who knows In a real, serious fight, I dont think I can win against him.

Sudou was definitely not weak. If Sudou, who had excellent physical ability and coordination, talked about Housen like this, he was not one to be trifled with.

Even carefully selected people such as Horikitas older brother, Horikita Manabu, who had studied martial arts, or Albert, who was born with a remarkable body, could not beat Housen in a fight.

Hey- thats not what I wanted to talk about! My affairs dont matter.

At that moment, Sudou looked at my face.

You you surpassed that monster Housens strength and stopped him. Im not wrong, am I?

Something like I reflexively used more power than I normally can certainly wouldnt work on Sudou anymore.

Its natural for him to associate that with, this guy also got a perfect score in math, so its not surprising.

And there were things he could see only because of his fondness for Horikita.

And youre sure it wasnt just a misunderstanding, Sudou?

Yeah, thats right.

Sudou grabbed my biceps with his right hand.

To confirm how powerful my muscles were, Sudou lightly gripped them several times and said, Ive had this feeling since last year, when I saw you at the pool. You werent even participating in any club activities, but you had a super muscular body. Its hard to tell with clothes on, but those firm muscles you wouldnt get those without considerable training.

Sudou has focused on his body and trained regularly. There was no point in trying to fool him anymore.

Saying something like I work out on my own after getting out of bed has no chance of convincing him.

He wasnt merely watching. When touched like this, my body itself would tell him the truth.

Speaking of that, your grip strength when we measured it before the sports festival was around 60kg, right?

Sudou gradually thought back about last year.

That time, I already thought that was amazing but you were holding back. How much can you grip exactly?

Who knows. I honestly dont know.

You dont know?

I dont remember ever measuring my grip strength properly.

How is that even possible? We have physical evaluations so many times in primary and middle school!

I honestly dont remember.

Of course, there were periodical physical examinations in the white room. They collected vastly more data than what a normal schools physical examinations would measure.

However, only the instructor would know those things.

The instructor wouldnt bother telling individual students the details of their values.

And then the students themselves had no interest in the numbers that changed every day.

It was because they only saw them as numbers that went up or down.

However, while I was training to maintain my body every day, my physical ability was slowly decreasing now when compared to when I was in the white room.

You really dont know? Sudou said. He was looking straight into my eyes, so he mustve understood that I wasnt lying.

Back then, I heard that a grip strength of 60kg was the average for a 1st year at high school, so I adjusted my strength to around that. I was trying not to stand out.

Later, I learned that this was higher than average, and I remember being a little surprised.

Im talking about you, how strong is the real you?

A questing heart filled with envy and jealousy.

How strong huh.

Depending on what the reference point was, the answer and perception would change with it.

While I was thinking

Forget it. You dont have to answer.

Sudou withdrew his own question as if he was refusing my answer.

Even if I tell him everything about my situation here, it wasnt something just anyone could understand.

In the end, it wasnt something that could be expressed clearly with just a few words.

Powerful or not, theres no point if I dont see it with my own eyes.

He let go of my bicep that he had grabbed earlier.

Sudou, just like Keisei, had started to digest things by himself.

But I understand now that youre a pretty unbelievable guy. Youre seriously powerful, Ayanokouji.

Doesnt it upset you that Ive always been hiding my strength?

Well, in the beginning I thought, whats with that?, and I get how Yukimura feels. If I feel like Im already super powerful, it sure wouldnt feel good to know that someone by my side was hiding his powers and is actually more powerful than me. But its not like I cant understand what youre thinking, you dont like to stand out, right? Somehow, Ive come to understand your approach, I guess.

From Sudou came a reply that I wasnt expecting at all.

It would definitely be a lie if I said I didnt care, but Im doing my best in my own way to grow. Thats got nothing to do with how other guys are, thats what I think.

Cater to yourself, not other people.

He said that as if to instruct himself to become someone that would be the best for himself.

Besides, no matter how good you are, at basketball Im definitely better.

For the first time today, Sudou laughed boldly.

It was a statement brimming with confidence, about something he didnt even need to confirm.

Of course, it was indisputable.

Even if I had played once or twice, the result was extremely clear. I had no chance of winning.

If its basketball, we can have a match any time!

Spare me. I dont want to become your punching bag.

Hahahahah! I see you understand that!

As long as people have something theyre better at than others at, their mood would find it easy to relax.

So I wont talk about the situation with Housen to anyone. I feel like this was very roundabout, but that was what I wanted to say today.

Alright.

I appreciated him from the bottom of my heart, for his consideration for me.

Ah yes, lets not talk about Housen again, but can I ask one last thing?

If its something that I can answer.

Did you not think I would tell anybody else about the fight with Housen?

A sudden question, perhaps one that was bound to be asked during the conversation.

If Sudou had been a witness, there was every possibility that Id have to force him to keep quiet about it.

Of course, just in case, I thought about asking Horikita to force his mouth shut about it, but after that night, and the full score in math afterwards, I could guess what he was thinking from Sudous eyes.

If it were the old Sudou, I probably wouldve arranged for it. Id even go so far as to request Horikita to tell you to keep quiet.

If it were the old me?

From the OAA evaluation, the one with the highest growth in Class D is you. Unlike the time when you were hotheaded, Youre now able to calmly assess the situation. Thats why I didnt take any measures.

This decision was based on my own analysis of Sudou Ken.

But if it were another student such as Ike or Hondou in that situation, there could have been different developments.

I feel like Im being talked up to.

Sudou had a surprised expression, and sighed in admiration.

Im totally convinced. Doesnt feel bad to know that you have a high opinion of me.

Saying that, Sudou brought his face close to mine.

Theres one more question Id like to ask. You and Suzune

Were not dating.

As I took my distance from the face that was far too close, I used a its the truth attitude to reply to him.

Oh

The instant reply made Sudou skirt a bit.

For that, well, its not like Im telling you not to date her. Suzune is free to go out with me, or you, or anyone else if she wants. But, well, if youre deliberately hiding it, then I wont have any mercy on you.

Okay, okay If, by any chance, that happens, Ill tell you right away, alright?

Good. Wait, no, thats not o! k, but, no, thats fine.

Now that hed asked everything he wanted to ask, Sudou breathed out a sigh of relief.

It might be cold coming from a friend of Haruki, but Im glad you didnt get expelled during the class vote. Theres no doubt that youre someone we need to rise up to Class A. See you later, Ayanokouji.

Saying that, Sudou picked up his pace a little, and moved towards the classroom.

Was it meant to hide that we were talking to bystanders?

Someone we need to rise to Class Ahuh.

I never thought that Id get such an evaluation from Sudou.

However, I wasnt the kind of person that the class currently needed.

There was no doubt that Sudou himself was indispensable to the class.