Chapter 146: The Night Before the Event (Long Chapter)
"Helping me?"
Rumi turned around, looking at Hachiman in confusion, a few stray tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes.
But in the next second, she quickly raised her hand to brush them away.
"What kind of help?"
Subconsciously, she also stole a glance at Akishin.
Since Akishin was also watching her, wearing a warm smile full of genuine goodwill—it was different from the kind of public-facing smile Hayama usually wore...
It felt like something special.
She had actually used her phone to look up Hachiman's identity earlier, so naturally, she had learned about Akishin as well.
This pair of teacher and student were truly impressive people.
"Rumi, do you hate yourself for being this pathetic?"
"...Yes."
Rumi nodded, her voice straining not to choke up, but the tears that had just subsided immediately began to fall again.
At that moment, a sharp gust of wind blew through, forcing the three of them to squint. Hachiman's hair was swept upward, clearly revealing the pair of eyes beneath—eyes that carried a trace of anger.
His eyes held anger, yet his face wore a smile.
"..."
Hachiman officially explained Soichi's plan to Rumi and asked for her consent—though at this point, Soichi had likely already started moving. If she didn't agree, Hachiman still had other ways.
Tonight's Test of Courage would be the perfect opportunity.
Finally, Hachiman glanced at Rumi's bewildered expression as she stared at the swaying treetops. He placed his hands together and said in a heavy tone, "Rumi, you need to understand the true rules of human nature. Face them bravely, don't fear them, overcome them, and understand them.
Restricting yourself, keeping a pure heart, and remaining a good person forever—that isn't wrong. In fact, it's wonderful. But you must also maintain enough respect for this world that isn't always so beautiful. Learn to protect yourself...
This is what Yukinoshita meant when she spoke to you about a lack of ability.
Well, you're a smart girl. You should be able to understand that."
At this point, Hachiman smiled, recalling something pleasant. "Our help is only temporary; at least we're pulling you out of that feeling of helplessness first. Whether you end up back like this in the future? That depends entirely on you.
Actually, being alone isn't so bad. If someone hits you, you can hit them back. If someone talks about you, you can talk about them right back. If you can't win, you can come find me... just be yourself."
Hachiman asked again, "Are your grades bad?"
"They aren't. I'm ranked ninth in my year."
Rumi answered almost instantly.
"Haha, well, that's good then."
Watching Rumi stand up, Hachiman offered one last piece of advice: "Keep those grades up, or make yourself even better. Having bad friends is worse than having no friends at all; they'll only hold you back.
Humans often have no choice but to rely on themselves. Once you grow up and experience more, you'll understand that on your own.
So, keep studying hard.
Truthfully, a lot of people in your class are probably decent people. They're just ordinary, and the environment is what it is. They're afraid of being ostracized themselves, so they ostracize you.
The ones truly causing trouble in your class are only a few people.
After this, you can try to find a few real friends. As long as you have a small group, you won't be isolated anymore, and the problem is solved.
So, are you willing to accept our help? If this plan doesn't work, I still have one more."
'Humans in extreme circumstances reveal their true nature. When they feel real fear, they will protect themselves at any cost, and they won't have time to worry about others—they won't even hesitate to sacrifice those around them to save themselves. If one's ugly side is exposed to the sunlight, it becomes impossible to maintain a friendly facade. In this way, while it might not "solve" the problem, it makes the problem disappear. As long as everyone becomes a loner, there is no longer anyone to be excluded. If you're troubled by human relationships, then destroy the layers of those relationships, and the trouble vanishes. If you fear a vicious cycle, then it should be broken from the start. "You mustn't run away" is a thought held only by the strong; she is just a little girl who doesn't want to be left behind...'
Hachiman wouldn't actually do anything, and there was no need to. As long as they aren't completely defeated and broken, humans will always grow with time.
The world isn't beautiful, but in some ways, it feels fair. What you experience is what you get—the good, the bad, the real, and the illusory...
There will always be a reward, and after receiving countless such rewards, humans finally learn to grow up.
Growing up often looks cruel, simply because the unpleasant things are the ones that leave the deepest impressions.
"Tch, grown up? You talk like you're so old when you're just a high school student yourself."
Rumi scoffed, sounding a bit annoyed that Hachiman was treating her like a child, but then she smiled. She raised her hand to wipe the remaining tear tracks from her face and bowed formally, full of gratitude toward Hachiman. "Hachiman, and... Chishima-sensei, thank you very much. I won't object. Thank you, I'm truly grateful. I will remember these words in my heart..."
She thanked them repeatedly, her tears flowing again. She tried to wipe them, but they only came faster.
These were tears of joy and emotion, yet they still held a trace of sadness. She really had been so terrified before.
Hachiman didn't stop her crying; he just waved his hand and said, "Actually, the person you should really thank is my junior, his name is Kondo Soichi. I'm just the messenger, and also..." Hachiman paused for a moment, gesturing toward Akishin beside him, then continued with a smile: "Even though I'm still a high schooler, my Sensei—who is also my Sensei in Kendo—taught me many things. You and I are different..."
These words were his answer to Rumi's little jab from earlier.
Tsurumi Rumi straightened her posture, her teary eyes glaring at Hachiman just once.
...
Watching Rumi's figure walk away alone, Hachiman looked up at the treetops again. Between the irregularly swaying shadows and light, it felt as if reality and imagination were overlapping in an unstable blur.
"Sensei, let's have another sparring match after we get home. This time, my goal is to make you retreat three steps!"
Hachiman spoke with a smile, reaching his hand out as if trying to catch the imagination dancing above his head. The laughter of the people in the distance seemed to be drifting further away.
Akishin looked at Hachiman, realizing he had changed slightly again. He should have changed, right?
Akishin reached out and patted Hachiman's raised palm, laughing. "I was planning on letting you rest, but since you're begging for a beating, of course you can. You'd better beat that Kitahara Shuji next year."
"Ah, that's a given!"
...
The Sakura Elementary dorm area.
Soichi stood in front of a wooden building. In front of him were three young girls leaning against each other with timid, fearful expressions—two of them were members of Tsurumi Rumi's group.
Surrounding Soichi were ten other students, five boys and five girls. The boys were the troublemakers of the class, acting as the muscle.
The girls were various class officers—the class rep, the study committee member, and so on—acting as witnesses.
"You guys... what do you think you're doing? The teachers are outside, we'll report you." Among the three, a girl with yellow hair spoke in a trembling voice.
Soichi stuffed both hands into his pockets, his expression cold. Despite being young, he carried the aura of a teenage gang leader.
Without wasting words, he asked directly: "The three of you, why are you playing such a disgusting game? Is ostracizing people really that much fun? Why couldn't it have been you guys instead..."
Soichi had already investigated thoroughly. The ones primarily responsible for proposing the exclusion game in Rumi's class were these three. They were the 'queen bees' of the class, relying on their ability to organize everyone to isolate a target.
It was just that their previous behavior had been swiftly dismantled by Rumi, so they felt slighted and turned their sights on her.
Of course, there were others, but they were just followers—meaningless. Relationships between girls were far more complicated than imagined, especially in a culture where the pressure of comparison and showing off among girls was so severe.
The three cornered girls looked at each other, fear and anger flashing in their eyes. They realized exactly why they were being surrounded, but they still played dumb. "You... what are you talking about? We don't know anything. Get out of the way, or we're calling Sensei."
Still won't talk, huh? People like this are truly revolting. They don't do anything that technically breaks the rules, they don't recognize their own faults, they just create pure malice—perhaps just to have something to gossip about.
They think it's just a small matter, something trivial, but they have no idea how terrifying that small malice can be when it accumulates!
They've never experienced it, so they don't understand it, just like the hateful keyboard warriors on the internet...
However, Soichi already had some experience in solving these kinds of problems.
Soichi exhaled, then stepped forward toward the three of them. He raised his hand, and three sharp slapping sounds echoed out.
—When you try to hurt others, you must also be prepared to get hurt yourself!
...
The morning water activities had concluded.
Hachiman and Akishin returned first, grabbed their bamboo swords, and engaged in a single match.
This time, Hachiman didn't wear Kendo gear. With Akishin not intentionally attacking, the fight looked somewhat balanced.
Of course, in the end, Hachiman still ended up flat on the ground. His big talk about making Akishin retreat three steps naturally went unfulfilled.
Akishin hadn't moved back a single inch. Even though Hachiman had tried a thrust (Tsuki) once, it hadn't worked. Maybe using Tsubame Geki would have done it, but if he had used it today, his hands would have been useless.
After Yui and the others returned, they began preparing for tonight's Test of Courage.
Shizuka led the group into the camp's storage shed, pulling out the long-stored scaring props.
After seeing the props, everyone fell silent.
What is this?
Is this stuff actually supposed to scare people?
That was the first thought that crossed their minds.
Little devil costumes, cat ears, cat tails, white kimonos, witch hats, capes, coats, miko outfits...
Hey, hey, isn't this just a bunch of cute Halloween props? Even if you don't want to genuinely traumatize the kids, there has to be a limit, right?
First was Ebina's miko outfit, which looked quite fitting on her. Then came Totsuka Saika, who was busy adjusting the height of a conical hat so the brim covered his eyes.
"Are witches considered ghosts too?" Totsuka Saika asked, puzzled.
Hachiman coughed and replied, "Well... in a broad sense, I suppose so." He wasn't about to mention that Totsuka looked exactly like a Magical Girl in that outfit.
Komachi wore a cat doll costume.
As for Yukino, she chose a white kimono, which matched her aura perfectly. If she were standing in a snowy field, she'd definitely be mistaken for a Yuki-onna.
But she was technically dressed as a ghost.
Seeing Komachi's outfit, Yukino approached her, pinching the cat ears and feeling the paws. Finally, she gripped the tail and touched it with her forehead, nodding with an expression like a professional appraiser on an antique show!
It really was quite similar.
Hachiman even wondered if she was about to say: 'This is a fine piece.'
"...The quality is truly excellent. It suits you well, Komachi," Yukino praised. Komachi's petite frame and visible fangs were a perfect match for the cat costume.
"Thanks, Yukino-nee! Your outfit also fits perfectly and is super pretty, right, Onii-chan?"
Komachi looked at Hachiman expectantly.
Hachiman was stunned for a moment, not quite sure why Komachi was so fired up, but facing Yukino's gaze—which subconsciously held a flicker of hope—he nodded quickly and said, "Right. It's very pretty. It suits you."
"Thank you. It seems you still have at least a shred of aesthetic appreciation, Hikigaya-kun."
Yukino showed a rare, slightly mischievous smile.
Yui was wearing a little devil costume, though she looked more like a little Succubus.
"Hachiman, does it look... what do you think?"
She covered her chest with her hands, checking herself in the mirror before asking Hachiman, her eyes secretly darting to see Yukino's reaction.
Hachiman didn't dare look directly. He stole a quick glance and then spoke rapidly: "If even a single part of it didn't fit, I would have told you already, or even made fun of you for it... Unfortunately, I can't do that..."
Whoa! This is the total opposite of Yukinoshita, I can't take it.
The moment he finished speaking, Hachiman walked away to another spot with a calm face.
"Eh!" Yui was stunned, not reacting for a second. "That..."
Then she clapped her hands together, shouting in embarrassment, "Why can't you just praise me honestly? Hachiman, you dummy~"
She hummed about Hachiman's 'mistake' cheerfully, turning back to the mirror in a much better mood, checking which parts still needed adjusting. Komachi observed all of this from the side, wearing a satisfied smile.
...
The Test of Courage was the highlight of the camping trip.
However, since this was just an elementary school event, they weren't going so far as to use professional makeup. They just played recorded screams along the paths, hid in the dark to shake tree branches, or threw on a sheet and chased the kids...
Still, the forest at night was inherently creepy.
The sound of branches vibrating sounded like the moans of the dead, and the wind whistling past felt like a ghost brushing against your cheek.
In this atmosphere, the group conducted a field survey of the Test of Courage location first, then set the scaring plan (for the accompanying staff) for the night.
After confirming every route, Akishin placed paper charms inside a small shrine modified from a Stevenson screen at the finish line.
The elementary schoolers just had to make it there and grab a charm to be considered successful—a very simple task, mostly testing their mental fortitude.
However, a lot of preparation was needed to prevent the kids from getting lost if they panicked.
Getting lost in this forest was still very dangerous.
Aside from that, everyone discussed where to place the ghosts and zombies, and set out bright traffic cones to prevent the kids from wandering off the path.
...
Outside the shrine at the mountain peak, Akishin and Shizuka stood together, looking down at the lights and campfires below. The stars in the sky were bright, providing a faint glow to the darkened world.
At the very least, you could still vaguely make out the silhouette of the person next to you without a flashlight.
It helped that Shizuka was wearing a white lab coat, making her even easier to see.
"Shizuka-chan, have you ever taken part in a Test of Courage?" Akishin asked, hands in his pockets, smiling. "What was it like?"
He had initially wanted to ask how it differed from a haunted house, but thinking about the props Hachiman and the others were wearing, he lost all interest in asking.
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