Chapter 141 Investigation

Investigation

Ai’s PoV

Lunch break. I wanted to visit my Senpai, but first I had to do something.

I went to the third-grade classroom. Maybe because Kondo and the other members of the soccer club were suspended, I saw an empty seat in the middle of the classroom. There were some students who had joined the soccer club from the junior high school where Kondo and Manager Tachibana were from. And all of those members are about to be punished for their involvement in the bullying.

I contacted the woman I’ve been targeting since yesterday.

“Ikenobu-senpai…”

I waited in the hallway for her to come out and called out to her.

Some third-year students noticed my presence and looked at me curiously.

Ikenobu Eri.

According to my research, she was the closest student to Kondo before he and Miyuki contacted each other. Based on that, I guessed that she had known Kondo since junior high school.

She turned around, yes, she was indeed a tall and beautiful woman. But she couldn’t be called healthy. Her face was morbidly pale. Her cheeks were furrowed and it was obvious that she was exhausted.

She was a high school student, but she had no spirit. It’s almost disturbing to watch.

“Ichijo Ai?”

I’m sure that I’ve never met her before, but she seems to know me.

Good, this will go faster.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Ichijo Ai.”

“What do you want, school idol?”

Barbed words full of warnings and contempt. One-sided and malicious. Well, I’m used to it, so I continue without paying attention.

“Can I ask you a few questions?”

She stares at me, silently rejecting me. But I’m not weak enough to give in.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

She replied harshly. Filled with a deep sense of despair, as if it were directed not only at me but also at the world.

I’m sure a normal student would get scared and run away in such a situation.

But I’m going to push her a little. No matter how much older she is, she is still a high school student. In a way, I can …

“What I want to ask you about is Kondo-senpai, a member of the soccer club. …”

When she hears that name, she gets agitated.

“Oh, I see, you’re related to Kondo-kun too…! Enough with you and that b🬀🬀ch, Miyuki!!! Why…can’t I have Kondo-kun all to myself? I left Kazuki, Yumi, my family, and everyone else and dedicated myself to him. I’m so, so tired of it. It’s all gone. What do you want?”

Her emotions were all over the place, and she screamed in a voice that echoed through the hallway.

I knew that if I mentioned Kondo’s name, she would’ve such a strong reaction. I’m a really bad person after all. I can do this on purpose. I can take advantage of other people’s emotions. Despite my self-loathing, I still want to use this “me” to protect the people I care about.

“Please calm down. I don’t have that kind of relationship with Kondo-senpai. I just want to know the truth about what happened. …”

I thought I could only go this far. After all, I already had most of the information I needed.

I knew that Ikenobu Eri was the other childhood friend that Domoto-san was talking about.

And the relationship between the three of them was ruined by Kondo. She chose Kondo over Endo-san and Domoto-san. Just like Amada Miyuki.

“F🬀🬀k!!! I can’t trust anyone anymore. It’s all my fault. I know that. That’s what everyone said. I know it. You know, I’ve been alone for the last three years, and even though I’ve been lonely, who’s to blame? I couldn’t rely on him either. I know it was a punishment. But no matter how much he does, I don’t want to lose everything. He was the last one. …I wish we had never met if something like this had happened. …”

This is Amada’s future in a few years. The end of a person who has destroyed and abandoned all the relationships. Just thinking about it is terrifying.

Especially the horror of losing the Aono family with all its warmth is immeasurable.

“Ikenobu-senpai…”

…please calm down. Before I could finish, she screamed,

“Please stop!”

And then she suddenly turned into a face of emptiness.

“I’m sorry. I was upset and made a loud noise. I’m very tired. So, please can you leave me alone?”

I even feel uncomfortable with her using honorifics. It seemed as if something was broken.

Then she left the place as if to escape.

I also came back.

Now, I’ve learned the depth of human karma. I don’t want to be like her, I’m determined that I will never betray my senpai. Never ever.