He looked around.
Not just Ichinose.
The expressions on the faces of Ryuen, Hosen, and others were equally heavy; only Ayanokouji remained expressionless.
Even for the two of them who frequently fought, this was the first time they felt so close to death.
Everyone's mood suddenly became complex.
Watching this scene.
Chairman Sakayanagi felt somewhat satisfied internally. He turned his sharp gaze toward Nishishi and said coldly:
"Because of you, Nagumo was stabbed once in the right kidney. Although he has passed the life-threatening danger after emergency treatment, he can only spend the time before graduation in the hospital. Do you hate him that much?"
"I hate him..."
Nishishi cried out with a tearful face, clearly having broken down.
"I already didn't want to reach Class A, as long as I can graduate it's fine. Why does he still keep bullying me? Is that guy sick in the head? Why won't he just let me go?"
"Really, does that guy have some kind of mental problem... boohoo..."
Nishishi's tears gushed like a spring as he constantly kicked his legs.
Anger was only a momentary thing. He probably didn't expect it to actually turn out like this himself.
Even now, Nishishi couldn't understand.
He had a large amount of private points and could graduate from Class A; the person who caused trouble for Nagumo Miyabi wasn't him.
Worrying about Nagumo Miyabi's retaliation, he and Takao were exceptionally obedient.
Not to mention everything else. To graduate peacefully, the two were exceptionally flattering, even going so far as to go against their consciences to stand once again on the opposite side of Hikigaya.
Why did Nagumo Miyabi insist on not letting them go?
Nishishi couldn't understand no matter what; he felt truly wronged. That guy simply had some major illness in his brain.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei..."
Chairman Sakayanagi gave a look. Hoshinomiya Chie picked up a tissue and handed it to Nishishi. One could only blame his bad luck for following the wrong person.
A long time passed.
Once Nishishi's emotions stabilized slightly, Chairman Sakayanagi spoke again.
"Since that is the case, this matter will be handed over to the police for handling."
After saying that.
Chairman Sakayanagi looked at the somewhat terrified Nishishi. He also felt a bit of pity; it would be a shame if a child were destroyed like this.
But breaking the law is breaking the law.
"However, I will explain the situation in detail to the police and strive for a lenient treatment."
"Thank you, thank you, Chairman Sakayanagi..."
"Alright, Onodera-sensei, take him out first."
Chairman Sakayanagi let out an imperceptible sigh.
Such an emergency situation was far too sudden and truly unexpected.
He understood Nishishi better.
Although he didn't have anything beyond ordinary abilities, he was a very honest student. He must have been pushed to a point where there was no other choice.
But the only thing that could be done was this much.
It was also just the difference between intentional injury and intentional homicide.
After Nishishi left.
Silence remained in the room; even everyone's breathing could be heard.
It was clearly just Christmas a moment ago.
Suddenly, they were told the school almost had a death.
It was truly quite sudden.
"Alright."
Chairman Sakayanagi's eyes swept over Hosen, Ryuen, and others, finally landing on Ayanokouji.
"I hope you can learn a lesson from this incident. Do not spread rumors. Alright, everyone else out. Hikigaya, stay behind."
Originally.
This matter could have been directly handed over to the police.
But Chairman Sakayanagi also hoped to use this to educate the others, especially people like Ryuen and Hosen.
They really thought they were invincible, acting with no sense of restraint at all.
Even a Prime Minister walking on the street could be gunned down.
What were these guys acting so smug for...
Although Nishishi was the one in the wrong.
Even Chairman Sakayanagi similarly felt that Nagumo Miyabi had gone too far, and it was normal for such a result to occur.
It just proved.
His education had failed.
Whether they could listen or not still depended on the individual.
After the crowd left.
Only two people remained in the room.
Hikigaya stood before Chairman Sakayanagi with his head lowered.
Looking at the pale-faced Hikigaya, Chairman Sakayanagi didn't act as he usually did, his voice steady:
"This is not your responsibility. Sit down."
"Ah... yes..."
Hikigaya sat in his seat, his fists still clenched.
It was indeed so.
It was Nagumo Miyabi who was too unkind, and the one who took action was Nishishi. It had nothing to do with him at all.
Even so.
Hikigaya still felt a sense of responsibility and some self-blame.
If.
If he could have faced Nagumo Miyabi head-on.
Perhaps he couldn't guarantee a 100% win, but it probably wouldn't have turned out like this.
Seeing this.
Chairman Sakayanagi said with a trace of disdain:
"How unsightly. To be crushed by such a small matter..."
"How could that be..."
Hikigaya forced a smile and shook his head.
Although he felt responsibility, it was only that much.
After all.
He wasn't actually very close to either Nagumo Miyabi or Nishishi. To put it nicely, they were seniors from the same school; to put it bluntly, they were complete strangers.
His conscience just felt a bit uneasy.
But it would pass after a while. He wasn't so fragile as to be easily crushed by something happening to a stranger.
"That's fine then."
Chairman Sakayanagi nodded, still very satisfied.
If Hikigaya had no conscience at all and was as indifferent as a machine, he would have to worry about whether he could entrust his daughter to such a person.
"Life always faces setbacks. No matter what you think, this matter has nothing to do with you, whether in the eyes of others or on a legal level."
"Yes, I know..."
Hikigaya nodded.
Except for himself, no one could link these things to him.
"But another matter does concern you."
Chairman Sakayanagi let out a sigh, massaged his aching forehead, and glanced at Hikigaya.
"What do you plan to do about Class D?"
"Huh?"
Hikigaya looked up slightly: "That... what do you mean?"
"Your use of public opinion to strike at Class D has been remarkably effective. The atmosphere in Class D is currently quite bad. The number of people arriving late or skipping classes is increasing daily."
"However."
Chairman Sakayanagi's voice turned heavy: "The school cannot sit by and watch someone become depressed or even commit suicide because of this, do you understand?"
Everything was under the school's control.
However.
Even Chairman Sakayanagi didn't know how to put it, and it was hard to judge if this counted as a kind of bullying.
After all.
Bullying is truly difficult to define.
Is what Class D did detestable?
Naturally, it was loathsome.
Any normal person would feel that Class D was truly cold-blooded.
Inhuman.
It just didn't sound very good to say it that way. Should it be said that other people aren't rational enough?
No matter how high-sounding the words were packaged.
Feeling disgusted is the most genuine feeling.
Then, have the people around been making up rumors?
No!
The people around were also just telling the truth. Since the deeds were done, could people not be allowed to talk? They were just discussing the same topic constantly.
Even for the school.
It was similarly difficult to define these as bullying.
This guy specifically set difficult problems for him, which truly gave Chairman Sakayanagi a massive headache.
Hikigaya silently clenched his fist.
He truly hadn't expected it to suddenly turn out like this. Was it Nagumo Miyabi's incident that triggered Chairman Sakayanagi's vigilance?
It made sense.
After all, being a school with a national background, the school could not sit idly by regarding something like suicide, even if there was only a small possibility.
This must be the accident Ayanokouji Atsuomi spoke of...
One thing after another, it really was a headache.