Part 5
The situation started turning for the better roughly 30 minutes after my conversation with the older Horikita. Wearing the exact same outfit as yesterday, Katsuragi was slowly heading in my direction. While I observed him from a slight distance away out of his path, I saw him holding in his hands what seems like the bag containing what he bought from that shop yesterday.
"What does it mean?".
There's still time left until the 29th. Normally one would keep something like that in their room until then. But the fact that he is carrying it around now, perhaps he means to hand it over now?
Even so, I'm curious about his uniform-wearing appearance. Perhaps he intends to act in his formal wear, but honestly I'd rather not see him handing over the present in this heat wearing that outfit.
I held my breath as I attempt to confirm where Katsuragi is headed. And when I did, we soon came to a crossroads. Katsuragi did not proceed down the road that leads to the dormitories of the senior students. He instead proceeded down a road that was outside of my expectations surprisingly. What lies at the end of that road was the school amidst a summer vacation. I shadow him without alerting him.
"So that's why he was wearing his uniform---".
It wasn't because he liked wearing it but rather because he intended to enter the school. I finally understand. Katsuragi then entered the school from the main entrance. But since it's come to this, I can't follow Katsuragi just like that. As long as it is forbidden to enter the school building in casual wear, I cannot enter.
"Did you meet Katsuragi?!".
As my phone vibrated, my screen seems to be projecting a chat that seems to have been sent to my from the room. Then, without reading the message, I closed my phone and decided to change the direction of my attack. I headed towards the shop where we selected our presents yesterday at Keyaki Mall. And once there, I randomly entered a shop that seems to be popular with girls. I was curious what kind of presents would be sold in other shops.
It's just, even when compared to other shops, I could not tell what the difference was. In the end, I ended up returning to the shop from yesterday where Katsuragi bought his birthday present. I eventually reached the place where chocolates put in small, thin boxes were stacked. I did take into consideration the possibility that it might not just be a seniors student but a man he's giving the present to, but looking at it again, that possibility isn't very high. The chocolates were decorated with hearts and other decorations that girls would like.
"Kyahaha, I know right?". Some girls, who had started being loud inside the shop, passed behind me. At that moment, I received a slight bump to my back.
"Woah". The products that I bumped into with my elbow shook lightly, and the pile of stacked chocolate collapsed like an avalanche. The girls who were engulfed in their conversation, without even noticing the tragedy that had occurred here, simply left the shop while still talking.
"Geez". I do know that I don't have much of a presence, but I'd like them to at least notice me a little.
"What are you doing?". As I was attempting to restack the fallen products desperately, a giant man called out to me from behind. It was Katsuragi who should have gone to the school.
He looks down at me with a perplexed face.
"I'm here to...buy a birthday present". Having unexpectedly run into him, it was all I could do to answer. After glancing at the scattered gift boxes, he bends down with his large body to pick them up.
"Ahh. No. I can pick them up myself".
"Don't mind it. It would be bad to let other customers see this. It's better to clean it up quickly. Two is better than one in that case".
Having said that, and without even a sign of disliking it, he went on to lend me a hand. It's been around 30 minutes that I had spent visiting other shops, I wonder if he finished up his business at the school during that time.
But in Katsuragi's hands, he was holding a bag of products from this shop. I sneaked a peek into it and when I did, it seemed to contain a small box packaged as a gift. It seems he hasn't given it yet.
"This should be fine". When the two of us did it together, we cleaned up the shop in no time. Fortunately, neither the clerk nor any customers happened to see this.
"Thanks". I think Katsuragi is basically a good person. During the time on the uninhabited island too, Katsuragi showed strange goodwill towards us such as when he kept watch over the corn we found. Naturally, he won't show any mercy if it comes to a competition between classes, but it seems his personality itself isn't that of a bad person.
"Are you buying a present for your girlfriend?" Katsuragi asks me.
"Ehh? No, it's not like that. She's just a classmate. I think I'll just buy it next time". It's not like I ever intended to buy it in the first place, but I said that as I took my distance from that corner.
And as if to match my actions, Katsuragi also took his distance, so I decided to chat him up a little to see if I could extract some information from him.
"Are you also buying a birthday present?" I asked him.
"Hmm? Why did you think that?".
"You're holding a bag from this shop in your hands, I was in the same corner too".
"I see. Indeed it is true, I suppose I shouldn't have even needed to think that" he replies to me. Perhaps he's convinced, but Katsuragi nods and meets my gaze.
"I was in a bit of trouble since I couldn't find the item I wanted, what did you buy?".
"It's no big deal. I just bought one of the chocolates you pushed down just now. I think this shop's set of items isn't bad at all, but I suppose it's up to each individual person to have their own preferences. I would do well to look around in other shops too" Katsuragi answers me.
Then, without telling me who he is giving it too and without me hearing any names, the two of us left the shop.
"Why are you wearing your uniform?". Naturally I'm not going to be mentioning yesterday, but for two consecutive days Katsuragi's been coming here wearing his uniform. It would be the obvious thing to do to ask him about it.
"It's necessary to wear a uniform if you wish to enter the school building after all. That's why it couldn't be helped" he tells me.
"That means you went to school?". Of course, since I was tailing him, I already know he had gone to school earlier. Now all that's left is to ask him 'who' he's giving it to. In his hands, Katsuragi's still gripping the bag.
I had thought it would be possible to obtain some information from him, but unfortunately it doesn't seem like it's going to be the case.
"Ahh. There are also various things I wanted to hand over". He did not talk deeply on the matter, but it seems Katsuragi has something on his mind since he glanced in the direction of the school.
"Have you ever thought about this? The disadvantages in going to this school?".
"Disadvantages?".
"That's right. It doesn't have anything to do with classes, but all students equally share in it". I had to put some effort into the mysterious question I was asked. If this has something to do with the difference in classes, then problems will arise on a case-by-case basis.
There are cases like Class D that's beset by a point shortage, but it's hard to imagine Class A would have such troubles. But from the statement that this applies equally to all students, such things can be excluded. If so, exactly what is it? Although I was seriously attempting to find the answer, I could not reach a conclusion.
"You don't know? Of course it varies from person to person but "You cannot contact the outside" is the disadvantage" Katsuragi tells me.
"Ahh. I see". But since that for me was not a disadvantage, but rather an advantage, I did not consider it at all. Of course, if you look at it normally, it might be considered a disadvantage.
"Don't you want to contact your parents or your siblings?" Katsuragi asks me.
"I wonder. But leaving me aside, I think quite a lot of students would say the same thing". In particular, girls would often complain that they're lonely. However, in regards to information leakage to the outside, this school strictly prohibits all forms of contact. If one carelessly breaks this rule, it won't end with just a warning.
"But the benefits you receive in return are massive and I don't think this is reason enough to be dissatisfied?".
"Indeed that is true. Both the point system and completeness of the facilities are something ordinary students can not enjoy and is certainly an advantage".
Furthermore, he also gets the benefit of having graduated from Class A.
Wait, why the hell am I conversing naturally with Katsuragi? In addition, during the summer vacation.
"You're a student who's close with Horikita, aren't you?".
"Is a false rumor like that spreading around?" I asked him.
"False rumor? I distinctly remember you acting together with her when you met me".
"It's something like a connection of fate that happens commonly, or more like from the flow that started when we were assigned seats next to each other, we just happened to talk to each other from there is all".
As long as it's talk pertaining to the school, it's nothing unusual at all, I think. It seems Katsuragi's also got such an image since he nods.
"So that's how it is. It seems surprisingly I don't know a lot about the other classes despite thinking I did. If I made you feel uncomfortable, please forgive me. I don't have any ulterior motives in this" Katsuragi tells me.
"It's something I hear often recently so it's fine. It seems Horikita's doing a great job".
"That's right". Katsuragi briefly agreed with me, but he isn't showing any signs of continuing.
"To tell you the truth, this is the third time I've come to this shop. I'm the type to constantly think about something I'm worrying about, you see. Even though it's just a present, when I think about the feelings of the one receiving it, I cannot just decide simply".
Someone he worries over giving a present to, I wonder just who it is. Should I try to dig into it a little?
"It might be strange to say something like this, but you're an upstanding person. To buy someone a birthday present like this".
"Do you think it's strange to celebrate the day of one's birth?" Katsuragi asks me.
At the very least seeing a giant skinhead do it gives me a feeling of incompatibility. But that's just a prejudiced view. In this world there are even delinquents born that would save a cat in the middle of the pouring rain.
"I'll be honest, who are you going to give it to?" I cut to the chase. I won't get far even if I beat around the bush.
"To who, huh?".
Perhaps that question confounded even the person in question, since he showed some hesitation.
"It's something personal. It's not something for you to hear about" he tells me.
I think it's something that can't be helped but he ended up evading the question. If he answers like that, I would no longer be in a position to inquire further. If it's a best friend it would be a different matter though.
"Excuse me". And without leaving a single word behind, Katsuragi left towards the dormitory.
I did manage to solve the problem of why he was wearing a uniform, but further mysteries only arose from that. Why did he go to the school? Why did he show up at the shop again? I could not clearly see the answers to those.