C46

Episode 46: The Guidance Office — Kokone Suzumura Side

The break between the end of the 5th period and the start of the 6th period was coming to an end.

The door at the back of the classroom opened, and as Yamaoka returned with Sugisawa, the students remaining in their seats raised their heads.

Yamaoka crossed the classroom straight toward Suzumura's desk and stopped beside it. Suzumura, who had been looking down, raised her head, saw Yamaoka, and gave a small nod.

Standing up from her chair, Suzumura left the classroom following Yamaoka, keeping her head somewhat lowered.

The two of them proceeded down the hallway and headed toward the guidance office.

◇

Kokone Suzumura

Kokone was led by Mr. Yamaoka to the guidance office.

The door opened. Mr. Yamaoka entered first, and Kokone followed behind him, stepping inside with her head bowed. Even after entering the room, she didn't raise her head, taking small steps forward as she was.

Inside, Grade Head Nishikawa and Guidance Teacher Hirano were seated. Mr. Yamaoka took a seat beside the two of them, and Teacher Hirano directed his gaze toward a prepared chair.

"Please sit down."

Kokone nodded without a word and lowered herself into the chair as told.

Teacher Hirano stared intently at Kokone's face.

"You don't look well, are you alright?"

"—Yes."

Kokone nodded faintly, keeping her head bowed.

"Then today, I'd like to hear about the fake confession made to Tachibana-kun last Monday after school."

"—Yes."

Teacher Hirano checked the materials placed on top of the desk and began questioning Kokone.

"In this fake confession, Suzumura-san was the executor... is there any mistake about that?"

Kokone replied with her head bowed.

"—There is no mistake."

Teacher Hirano followed up with a question.

"Then, please tell me the detailed content regarding that fake confession."

After a brief silence, Kokone slowly began to speak.

"I was going to confess to Tachibana-kun after school... and then, if he accepted, we would pretend to be dating for a while... after that, when we were alone... I would tell him it was a lie... that was the plan."

"From the three people we questioned earlier, we heard that this matter was a punishment game. Does Suzumura-san share that understanding without any mistake?"

"—Yes."

Teacher Hirano looked straight at Kokone.

"Was there any circumstance that made you unable to refuse the punishment game?"

(Circumstances... There are no circumstances. It's just that I couldn't strongly deny it... I was just swept along with the flow.)

"There wasn't..."

"Then, what kind of feeling did Suzumura-san herself have when she accepted it at that time?"

"Back then... I got caught up in the mood, and thought it would just be a small surprise."

Kokone clenched both hands tightly on her lap.

Hearing Kokone's answer, Teacher Hirano took a short note in the materials at hand before moving on to the next question.

"Now then... I'd like to confirm about last Monday after school. We have also checked a video recording the events of that day. We will confirm the facts by comparing what can be confirmed in the video with the story you tell us, Suzumura-san."

Kokone's shoulders shivered violently.

"First of all, regarding the fact that it was revealed in front of your classmates this time that it was a fake confession, were you informed of that beforehand?"

"—I wasn't informed."

Teacher Hirano spoke calmly, keeping his eyes fixed on the materials at hand.

"According to Takamiya-san's questioning, hearing what Kujo-kun said later, Kujo-kun reportedly said that if Suzumura-san and Tachibana-kun talked alone, something might be done to Suzumura-san by Tachibana-kun. And because of that, he said he told Tachibana-kun that it was a fake confession in Suzumura-san's place."

(What—)

Kokone raised her head sharply and involuntarily leaned forward.

"Tachibana-kun is not that kind of person!"

Teacher Hirano immediately raised one hand, making a gesture to restrain Kokone.

"Then, let's confirm. There wasn't... any sign or statement from Tachibana-kun that would cause harm to Suzumura-san, right?"

Hearing Teacher Hirano's words, Kokone nodded firmly. Her voice was tinged with an anger that hadn't been there until a moment before.

"There wasn't! Tachibana-kun is a gentleman and has always protected me. Neither his words nor his attitude had anything in them that would hurt me!"

While still excited, Kokone tried to calm her ragged breathing. Teacher Hirano said nothing and quietly waited until Kokone calmed down.

After a while, Kokone's breathing gradually stabilized.

"—Then, I'll continue."

"Why did you do such a thing? Do you have any idea why?"

(Targeting Tachibana-kun was Kujo-kun's idea. Moreover... Tachibana-kun isn't that kind of person, yet he assumed things on his own and hurt him in front of everyone...)

"The one who chose Tachibana-kun in the first place was Kujo-kun. Besides, at that scene, he unilaterally hurt Tachibana-kun. That's why... I think Kujo-kun had malice toward Tachibana-kun."

"—I understand."

Teacher Hirano dropped his eyes to the materials at hand once more and continued questioning.

"There is talk that Kujo-kun told everyone in the class not to leak this matter. Did he actually do something like that?"

The moment she heard those words, Kokone's chest tightened intensely.

(That's right... I should have denied Kujo-kun back then... Because of what was said about my modeling work... I couldn't say anything. Why am I... always thinking only about myself...)

"—He did."

Teacher Hirano raised his eyes from the materials, directed his gaze toward Kokone, and asked the next question.

"After that gag order, did you say anything to the members involved in this fake confession?"

(Anything... At that time, I was stunned, and Kaho came over to my side... and then...)

The moment she remembered that far, a chill ran down Kokone's spine.

—Kokone.

Kujo's voice from that time revived in her head.

Raising her head slowly, Kujo had smiled at her just like always and said:

—Don't worry about it anymore.

—I'm the only one who needs to be the bad guy.

The back of her stomach lurched violently, and Kokone instinctively pressed a hand over her mouth.

(—ck)

Nausea welled up, and she couldn't breathe properly.

(What... is this... disgusting.)

Kokone pressed her hand over her mouth, looking down in agony.

"Suzumura, are you okay?!"

Mr. Yamaoka immediately spoke up.

"—Let's suspend the questioning for a moment. I'll get some water."

Teacher Hirano immediately stood up from his chair and went to get water for Kokone.

Mr. Yamaoka handed the prepared water to Kokone.

"Take your time. Calm down first."

Holding the water she received with both hands, Kokone kept her head down and let out a small breath.

All three of them waited in silence for Kokone to calm down.

After a while, Kokone's breathing finally stabilized.

"—I'm... already fine. I'm sorry..."

Teacher Hirano stared intently at Kokone's face for a while. Confirming that her breathing had settled, he gave a small nod as if judging there was no problem.

"—Then, let's confirm something else."

"Let's check about the video this time. Why was this video sent to the modeling agency Suzumura-san belongs to... do you have any idea?"

Kokone kept her head down and replied quietly.

"—I don't know."

"It was Kano-san who recorded it, but... have you had any trouble with Kano-san before?"

(Meiko... I got to know her after becoming a second-year. The first person I became close with was Rinko. Rinko, who is friendly, spoke to me, and after that, I started talking with Meiko, who was close with Rinko. Also, Kaho was often with us... Before I knew it, the four of us started talking and spending time together more and more. I was normally on good terms with Meiko, and we'd never had any friction before.)

"—Um... Is it Kano-san who sent the video to the agency...?"

"At this point, we haven't been able to confirm the fact that it was sent by Kano-san."

(When Meiko was recording the video, she joined hands with that person and beat down Tachibana-kun... Saying terrible things, making fun of Tachibana-kun. ...Since Meiko is someone who says things like that... even if she sent it to the agency, it might not be strange...)

"There was no trouble... But because she said terrible things to Tachibana-kun... Right now, I can't trust Kano-san."

"—I understand."

Teacher Hirano dropped his gaze to the questionnaire at hand.

Rereading Suzumura's written answers there, he stopped his words for just a brief moment.

Teacher Hirano gave a small cough and returned his gaze to Kokone.

"—Now then, let's confirm regarding the apology to Tachibana-kun."

Hearing those words, Kokone closed her eyes for a while.

She exhaled quietly, and eventually opened her eyes slowly.

"I want to... apologize to Tachibana-kun."

Kokone murmured with her head bowed.

"What I did is something that can never be forgiven. Tachibana-kun truly believed in me... and yet, I utilized those feelings and hurt him."

She stopped her words there once.

"That's why... I want to apologize properly. I want to convey everything I couldn't say back then. Why I did such a thing, and just how terrible of a thing I did... I have to properly convey it to Tachibana-kun and apologize."

As she spoke, Kokone's voice gradually grew heated.

"It's fine even if Tachibana-kun is angry. It's fine even if he doesn't forgive me. Even if he hates me... I think it can't be helped. Still, I want to apologize directly. Since I hurt him... I myself have to apologize to Tachibana-kun..."

Teacher Hirano nodded slightly.

"We underst—"

"But, just apologizing isn't enough..."

Kokone continued, as if she couldn't hear Teacher Hirano's voice.

"No matter how much I apologize, the wounds Tachibana-kun received won't disappear. That time, Tachibana-kun believed in me... and the feelings he directed toward me, I broke all of it. That's why, I have to face him properly... I can't just act like nothing happened to me."

"Suzumura-san?"

"It's fine even if Tachibana-kun doesn't forgive me. Even if he says he doesn't want to talk to me anymore, or if he hates me... That's fine too. But, I want to apologize. No matter what Tachibana-kun says, I want to listen to it properly. If he's angry, I want to hear those words too. If he wants to blame me, I want to hear it all."

Kokone's voice could no longer be stopped.

"Because... I was the one who hurt Tachibana-kun. That's why, I have to apologize properly. Just how much Tachibana-kun was hurt, and what I ended up doing... I myself have to properly accept all of it."

Her bowed head slowly rose.

"That's why... just once is fine. Please let me talk to Tachibana-kun. Please let me apologize properly. Not until... Tachibana-kun forgives me, but even if he can't forgive me, it's fine. I want to apologize. Directly, to Tachibana-kun..."

Kokone's eyes had somehow taken on a different color from before.

"—I..."

For the first time, Kokone's voice stopped.

"—I'm sorry."

The light vanished from Kokone's eyes.

No further words came out anymore.

"—I'm sorry..."

Kokone slowly lowered her face.

After that, for a while, with her head bowed, she continued to mutter something in broken pieces.

The three of them lost words and simply stared at Kokone.

After a while, Teacher Hirano came to his senses, gave a small cough, and directed his gaze toward Kokone.

"Suzumura-san... can you hear my voice?"

"—Yes."

When the reply came back from Kokone, Teacher Hirano let out a small breath and nodded as if feeling somewhat relieved.

"—I understand. Your intention to apologize has been conveyed."

"Regarding the contents confirmed today, we will organize them at school and consider future responses. Since this matter also requires confirmation with Suzumura-san's agency, we will likely proceed with talks there as well."

"—Yes."

Teacher Hirano checked the materials at hand once more, then returned his gaze to Kokone and continued.

"On top of that, regarding this matter, the school will also contact Suzumura-san's parents. After communicating the contents confirmed today, the school will also have a discussion with them regarding the future."

"—Yes."

Kokone closed her eyes with her head bowed.

She clasped both hands tightly on her lap and couldn't raise her head for a while.

"And please make sure not to talk about or share the contents confirmed here today with other students."

"Understood."

Spoken to by Mr. Yamaoka, Kokone gave a small nod.

Standing up from her chair just like that, she left the guidance office together with Mr. Yamaoka.

Confirmation Regarding Events of Last Monday After School

Name: Kokone Suzumura

① Were you inside the classroom last Monday after school?

□ Yes □ No

A. Yes

(If you answered "No", please end here.)

② Please fill in what happened inside the classroom at that time, to the extent that you remember.

A. In front of my classmates, I conveyed the fact of the fake confession, and by doing so, I inflicted a deep wound on Tachibana-kun.

③ If there is anything you saw or heard at the time that left a strong impression on you, please fill it in.

A. Tachibana-kun's expression.

④ If there was anything you yourself did or said at the scene, please fill it in.

A. I nodded to Tachibana-kun's inquiry, and at that moment, I believe I destroyed Tachibana-kun's feelings.

⑤ How do you feel personally about this incident?

A. I ended up doing something that trampled on the goodwill Tachibana-kun directed toward me.

⑥ Did you ever think about consulting or reporting the events of last Monday after school to the school or teachers?

□ Yes □ No

A. No

Please write the reason why you thought so.

A. Even though Tachibana-kun was hurt, I only thought about myself and acted out of calculation. It is because of such a petty self like that.

⑦ If there is anything else you would like to convey to the school, please fill it in.

A. Please, give me an opportunity to apologize directly to Tachibana-kun. I must apologize to Tachibana-kun with my own words. I don't mind however much I am rejected. Please give me just one more chance to talk with Tachibana-kun.