Takayanagi and Endo
Endo’s PoV
I was preparing for an experiment in the science lab when Takayanagi-sensei came in.
Was it about Aono’s chemistry class? Or was it about Kondo? Both are possible.
In a way, I committed a crime. So I’m ready to be punished. Takayanagi-sensei worked hard for Aono-kun. If she punishes me, I’ll be happy. If I’m found out, I’ll not make excuses.
“It’s okay. I’m the only one here today, so can I come in?”
“Yes, sure.”
Sensei laughed quietly.
“Since you’re here, shall we brew coffee in a beaker? It looks like a science experiment.”
Sensei laughs when I make such a joke.
“Yes, there are a lot of scenes like that in novels. But I bought a can of coffee today. Cafe au lait, you want?”
I felt a little relieved by her attitude.
“Thank you. Are you sure, Sensei?”
Sensei laughs when I say that.
“I won’t know if Endo keeps quiet. I’ve gotten a lot of help from you on the Aono case. This is just a small thank-you.”
“Ah, if that’s the case, I want some of yakiniku.”
When I make a little joke, Sensei laughs and says, “Uh, don’t rob me.”
And I know from her reaction that she knows everything.
“So, what does Sensei need from me?”
I’m already prepared. Thanks to Imai-kun, I’m prepared. Even if I’m expelled, I’ll look forward to the future. I’ll study hard, take the high school graduation exam, and go to college. I’ll break Kondo and Eri’s spell.
“I wanted to thank you for everything. And also to apologize.”
Sensei said something unexpected.
“An apology? Why?”
“While my student was suffering, I couldn’t see it until now. Endo. I’m really sorry. I probably pushed you too hard. I should’ve seen it earlier. I am very sorry. I left Endo to deal with Kondo and the soccer club on his own.”
I can’t help but get emotional. Even my teacher in junior high school didn’t treat me with this much sincerity.
“Why… but how much do you know about it, Sensei? …”
“Only recently did I realize that Endo was behind it. When the photos of Kondo and the others were sent to the school, I knew that this photographer had a strong grudge against Kondo. Maybe he was also working to shake up the soccer team. He was even willing to risk his own life to move for Aono. I looked into the students who were absent on the day the photo was taken and had ties to both Aono and Kondo, and Endo came up. I also looked into your background. Maybe you were working with the possibility of being found out. In the worst-case scenario, you were trying to hunt down Kondo, even if it meant sacrificing yourself.”
I think that’s as good as it gets. My plan was to get to the point where Kondo or the soccer team would find out about me and come to retaliate. I would actually provoke a violent incident and put these guys in a situation where they would have no excuse. It was a desperate strategy. Kondo, with his strong desire for self-expression, would definitely think of revenge.
Just as I was finishing the plan, the school took action to punish Kondo and the others. The speed was unexpected.
“Endo’s plan worked. In fact, several members of the soccer team confessed to the school on Sunday. Along with some audio files and SNS message history. The school was able to get rid of the soccer team so quickly because Endo made the soccer team restless and anxious. Thank you for working for Aono.”
“No, Sensei. I didn’t do it for Aono-kun. I was just working for myself. … That’s all.”
“Don’t put yourself down like that. If you were just acting out of a personal grudge against Kondo, you could’ve moved a lot faster. But you did it for Aono. That’s why you were willing to sacrifice yourself back then. Am I wrong? Even that excuse is just a way to avoid making Aono feel guilty.”
“…”
I feel helpless in front of Sensei who is trying to be there for me. I wish I had talked to her earlier. If I had met Takayanagi-sensei when I was in junior high school, my life might’ve been different.
“So don’t go any further. Stay back, Endo. Rely on the adults. I know that you are a reliable person. But you don’t have to sacrifice your future, you don’t have to carry it all by yourself. You’ve been working hard all this time.”
Really, this Sensei …
“Thank you. I also want to entrust the materials I collected to Sensei. I’m willing to accept any punishment.”
This is a burden off my shoulders. I’ll give the rest to Sensei.
“I appreciate that, but what do you mean by punishment?”
“Uh, that’s …”
“Of course, you don’t deserve any credit for skipping school, but … the photo thing was just a mistake and you dropped it. It just happened to be in front of the soccer club room. We can’t punish a student for dropping something.”
When I heard these words, my emotions unexpectedly exploded. The Cafe au lait I drank to calm down was both sweet and bitter.
Police Station
“Domoto-san. What should we do with the belongings of the student named Kondo? Will they be used as evidence? There’s also the assault case. Besides, his cell phone is broken and doesn’t work.”
My subordinate is asking for advice.
“Then send his phone in for analysis. If he knows the police are working on it, he might have deleted the message history or something, and we might be lucky to prevent it. If you suck out the data, you can retrieve it before it’s completely wiped.”