"Takamine…"
"If you have something to say, just say it."
"Can we be friends?"
"I don't really mind."
"Then as friends, going to the bathroom together after class is normal, right?"
"You went through such a long setup just to say that?" Rinji covered his face. "And let me ask you something."
"What?"
"Are you seriously asking me, a boy, to go to the bathroom with you?"
The one talking to Rinji was a girl from the class named Ayano Aya, a cheerful and lively girl who was quite cute.
As for why she was talking to him like this, it naturally had to do with what Rinji had done in class before.
At school, Rinji had dealt with two accidents caused by the curse. The first was when he caught Yukari, who had nearly been impaled by an umbrella, and the second was when he blocked a falling electric fan.
On top of that, according to information leaked by Naoya, Rinji was an expert who specialized in handling supernatural problems, with plenty of experience against calamities.
Putting all this together, the students had basically reached a consensus.
The safest place in all of Yomiyama City was within Rinji's line of sight.
So now, just like this moment, there was always a circle of people around him, and after school, students would trail behind him.
This was probably Rinji's first time experiencing what it meant to be a popular student.
"Surprisingly popular, huh."
Mei smiled beside him.
"It's just a sign these students lack a sense of safety. No one wants to be constantly exposed to the threat of death."
Rinji sighed.
"Anyway, did you see anything today?"
"Nothing today."
"Good."
If students were in danger every single day, Rinji felt his mental burden would be unbearable.
"Leaving aside the students, blood relatives within two generations are also covered by the curse. We need a way to protect them too."
"If we do that, the workload will be unimaginable."
"There's no choice. We can't ask for outside help either."
Every year, Class 3-3 was plagued by this unknown curse, and the students had no way to seek help.
For example, if they told the police their class was cursed and asked for protection, they'd almost certainly be treated as lunatics.
This long-term isolation, with the fear pressed deep into their hearts, was what truly terrified the students.
"Takamine."
Mei looked at Rinji.
There was something she had wanted to ask for a long time.
"You're not the type of person who likes troublesome things. So why do you go all out to protect your classmates here, even though you don't intend to get close to them?"
"Partly to study the curse itself, to see what happens if I keep blocking it. And partly…"
At this point, Rinji smiled unconsciously.
"I guess it's a personal wish of mine."
"Eh?"
As the two were talking, another group approached Rinji.
"Takamine, you've become really popular these days."
It was Naoya and Koichi, along with another boy Rinji hadn't seen before.
He was a beautiful boy, like Rinji himself, the kind where it was hard to tell the gender at first glance. Petite, fair-skinned, plainly dressed, but with a strikingly attractive face.
"Hello, Takamine."
The boy greeted him a little shyly.
"Since you were the 'nonexistent person,' this should be our first proper introduction."
"Ah, hello."
Rinji nodded back but realized he couldn't recall the boy's name.
It wasn't even that he forgot—it was that he had never bothered to remember.
Mei leaned close and whispered, "His name is Mochizuki Yuuya, he's in the art club with me."
"Oh, Mochizuki then."
Koichi said, "From your reaction, you clearly didn't remember him at all."
"Would it kill you not to expose me like that, Sakakibara?"
"No, no…"
"It's fine," Mochizuki smiled warmly. "After all, it was our decision that made you not remember the names of classmates."
His smile was gentle and full of warmth, giving off strong charm.
Though both Rinji and Mochizuki were beautiful boys, the difference was clear. Mochizuki's mannerisms leaned toward neutral elegance, while Rinji constantly cursed and acted rough, wasting his looks.
In short, Mochizuki was aware of his appearance, while Rinji didn't care at all.
"So, what do you want from me?"
"Well…"
Naoya cleared his throat, his expression a bit serious.
"Since there have already been two victims, the plan of the 'nonexistent person' is clearly a failure. So I was thinking, let's take advantage of the weekend to discuss the next countermeasures."
"Doesn't the class have a countermeasure group? Let them handle it."
"This meeting was actually proposed by Akazawa. She hopes you'll join us," Naoya said. "You've dealt with supernatural incidents before, and we believe you can give us valuable input."
"Well…"
The whole thing about 'handling many supernatural cases' was something Rinji made up just to make things easier for himself, and he never thought the others would take it so seriously.
"If possible, I'd rather investigate alone."
"More people means more strength. Besides, you're always acting so aloof. Sometimes it's good to go out with friends."
"I do have friends. Just not you."
"Ouch, that's harsh."
Naoya scratched his head and turned to Mei.
"Misaki, are you coming out this weekend?"
"If it's about the incident, then if Takamine goes, I'll go too."
"Uh… so it all comes down to Takamine, huh?"
Some students had already noticed that while Rinji avoided interacting much with classmates, he seemed to talk smoothly with Mei. They were often seen leaving the classroom together.
"Actually, the reason we came to you is because we got some critical information." Naoya looked at Rinji.
"Critical information?"
"Yes. About a past case where students successfully avoided the calamity."