Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
Kazufuru imagined the scene of Seigo Harano dying pitifully, along with how Natsuya Yoruhana might react, and then everyone else's reactions…
Kazufuru slowly calmed down after he imagined the potential consequences.
…Should he really go through with it?
This was killing someone, after all.
Although he indeed loathed Seigo Harano, and wished that Seigo didn't exist, still, to personally kill Seigo…
The demonic expression on the excellent student's face gradually receded, replaced by a conflicted expression.
'I want to live, so I have to use this item placed within me. I'm not in the wrong; I was forced.
'But… has Seigo Harano really done anything wrong?'
Seigo's existence was quite bothersome to every single boy in the class. But… he was a nice person!
Even though Kazufuru hated him to the point of wishing he didn't exist, Kazufuru had to admit that Seigo Harano was a nice person—a cool and open individual who loved to help others.
He felt that Seigo was bothersome because Seigo was far too excellent. Kazufuru always felt inferior and jealous.
'Is it really alright… to kill him?'
Kazufuru's conscience kept questioning him.
'This isn't a matter of whether it's alright or not! I have to do it! I want to live! What's wrong with killing someone I hate so that I can live on!!?
'It's not wrong… but…
'No buts! That's just how it is! I'm going to kill Seigo Harano tomorrow!!
"Natsuya Yoruhana will be heartbroken…
'That's exactly what I want to see! That'll bring me great joy!!
'Is it… really alright like this?
'What else am I supposed to do!!??'
Kazufuru was roaring inside his mind as he struggled with his own conscience.
On Tuesday, Kazufuru Ooike requested a day off from school.
He said that he caught a cold due to being outside in the rain yesterday.
'How unlucky of him to have caught a cold at such a time. I hope that he'll get better before Valentine's Day…' This was Seiji's thought after learning of Kazufuru's absence.
Seiji noticed that the atmosphere in class had gotten subtly strange due to Valentine's Day being right around the corner. All the male students were glancing at him much more than usual. Seiji could only smile wryly.
All he could do was to act like he always did.
Today was another rainy day. Not only that, the weather report indicated that the next several days would be rainy as well.
Seiji hoped that it would be sunny on Valentine's Day. Although some might consider rainy days more romantic, Seiji felt that he preferred the sunshine.
On Wednesday, Kazufuru Ooike requested yet another day off from school.
Some of his closer friends wanted to go visit him, but he refused to see anyone, saying that his cold was rather severe and that he didn't wish to infect anyone.
During lunch break, many girls surrounded Kaho and asked her to teach them her secret tips and techniques on how to make chocolate. Mika and Chiaki were in this group of girls as well.
And so, in an extremely rare instance, Seiji found himself eating lunch by himself.
He later learned that so many girls came to see Kaho that they ended up meeting again after school and borrowed the cooking club's room to all bake chocolate together. So many girls attended that even some girls from other grades came as well…'Quite incredible, aren't you, Miyamoto-sensei?'
On Thursday, Kazufuru Ooike finally returned to school.
He was wearing a breathing mask and had dark circles under his eyes. It was evident that he wasn't very spirited.
When Seiji looked at Kazufuru, he just happened to look at Seiji as well.
Seiji saw that the excellent student who served as the student council secretary and a grim and complex expression.
The next second, Kazufuru retracted his gaze.
Seiji wondered what was going on with him.
During class time.
When Seiji was taking a bathroom break, he found Kazufuru standing in the hallway by himself. Kazufuru was looking out a window and observing the rain.
"Ooike-san… are you feeling better?" Seiji walked up to Kazufuru and asked how he was doing.
"I am, thank you for asking," the excellent student answered calmly without turning around.
Seiji also looked out the window and fell silent for a moment.
"Ooike-san, do you have something you'd like to say?" He ended up asking a question in a soft voice.
"…Why do you say that?"
"Because I feel like you want to say something to me."
Kazufuru fell silent upon hearing this.
"If I'm just thinking too much into things, please forgive me." Seiji turned around and started to walk off.
"Harano-san…" a low voice spoke up behind him.
Seiji paused in his footsteps.
"Could we have a private discussion, just the two of us, later tonight?" Kazufuru asked him in a low voice.
"…Sure." Something flashed in Seiji's eyes as he agreed.
"Thank you." Kazufuru remained polite as he told Seiji the time and place.
"Don't tell anyone else about this." The student council secretary left with this final sentence.
Seiji watched him leave before he turned around to leave as well.
Later that night, the rain stopped.
Seiji arrived on time at the place they agreed to meet at, a small park.
He saw that Kazufuru Ooike was currently crouching in a sandbox and building a sandcastle.
A high school boy like Kazufuru was wearing a jacket, long pants, a breathing mask, and eyeglasses while building a sand castle in a sandbox for young children… this scene seemed rather abnormal to Seiji.
"Good evening, Ooike-san."
"…Good evening, Harano-san."
Kazufuru dusted off the sand on himself and stood up while turning to face Seiji.
"Why did you come here?" he asked Seiji in a low voice.
"Because I promised," Seiji replied.
"Why did you promise? I'm not friends with you. Don't you think it's strange to meet me alone so late at night?"
"Indeed, I think it's strange. That's exactly why I agreed," Seiji responded calmly.
"Because of curiosity? Heh heh… curiosity killed the cat, you know." Kazufuru chuckled coldly.
"Indeed, sometimes curiosity will kill the cat. However, I have trust in Ooike-san."
"Trust me? Heh heh… trust in what about me? Trust that I won't be able to do anything!?" Kazufuru's tone of voice suddenly became piercing. "YOU TRUST THAT I CAN'T WIN AGAINST YOU! THAT I CAN NEVER THREATEN YOU! IS THAT IT!!?"
"Not at all." Seiji looked directly at Kazufuru. "I trust that Ooike-kun isn't the type of person who would kill me."
Kazufuru paused in surprise for a moment.
Then, dark emotions welled up within him, causing him to burst with...
"FUCK!!!"
His screaming was just like a roar that pierced the heavens.
"I WANT TO KILL YOU! I REALLY WANT TO KILL YOU!! YOU'RE SUCH AN EYESORE, YOU BASTARD!! IF ONLY YOU WERE DEAD!!!"
His cursing was filled with negative emotions. Without a doubt, these were his true feelings.
Seiji received Kazufuru's negative feelings, but still managed to remain calm.
They both fell silent for a moment.
Kazufuru noticed that they were within four meters of each other, that he had been looking at Seigo for four seconds, and that nobody else was here to see them… all the conditions were met!
Now, all that was left was to possess killing intent towards Seigo and say the word "Kill" out loud for four times.
Kazufuru wanted to do this.
But for some reason, he was unable to utter a sound. It was as if something was stuck in his throat.
"You want to kill me, but you won't actually do so," Seiji stated in a light voice. "That's because to do so would be for you to deny yourself, Ooike-kun."
Kazufuru paused in surprise.
"Ooike-san, you've always worked hard and treat that as your pride. With your personality, what you truly wish for is to defeat your opponent, not to destroy him." Seiji looked directly into Kazufuru's eyes. "You feel that you can't beat me, which is why you hate me and want me to disappear. But, you'll never truly kill me, because that'll mean you're admitting to yourself that you'll never be able to beat me in your life, which would be completely giving up on your pride. Your hard work is worth more than this. Your pride should be stronger. You should be able to see things for what they are… even if you're temporarily confused, pained, or struggling, you'll finally see the truth and believe in yourself. That's what I believe."