Since the rematch was right after the special training, we finished after so warm-ups.
"We've done what we can. Now let's see how far you'll get in the real match."
Without taking too much ti, I called out to the two of them as their breathing cald down.
"Yes, thank you. Thanks to you, our chances have increased."
Horikita, who bowed her head politely, urged Ibuki to thank as well.
Whether she had no intention of following suit, Ibuki turned away and snorted.
"I won't say thank you. I think my way of thanking you is to kick you soday."
"If that's your idea of gratitude, I don't want it in the future."
"Really..."
"Well, I'll go back first, so do your best."
"Eh? Aren't you going to watch, Ayanokōji-kun? I thought we were going to watch together."
Kushida, who had been watching from a distance, seed to think we'd be together the whole ti.
"If it's revealed that I'm involved in this matter, it will only harm Horikita and Ibuki."
If I made Amasawa suspicious, the surprise attack wouldn't work.
To increase the odds of winning by even one percent, it was better not to be present.
"I see. Then I'll make sure to watch it all. I even brought my phone as well."
She probably thought that it'd be a great opportunity to take photos if anything embarrassing were to occur.
Since Kushida declared that she'd be the witness, I decided to leave that role to her.
Besides, I had one more thing to do this morning.
Just before 7 o'clock, naturally, there were hardly any students using the park.
That was why the student I had called here was sitting on a bench, waiting for to arrive.
"It's cold, isn't it? You didn't have to co earlier than the promised ti."
"Don't worry about it. It's not often that you call out to , Ayanokōji-kun. I enjoyed waiting."
"Can I sit next to you?"
"I've kept it open for that purpose."
Sakayanagi, who was smiling, welcod as usual.
"I'll get straight to the point. I've got Yamamura waiting in the dog park nearby."
"Eh? The dog park? Yamamura-san? What do you an?"
"Didn't you expect Yamamura's na to co up?"
"She was in the sa exchange eting group as you, wasn't she? Did she do sothing problematic?"
Pretending not to know, Sakayanagi made up a reason.
"You knew about it. That Yamamura and I were in the sa group."
"That's a surprise. Naturally, I had already figured out which group each student in the class was assigned to when we got on the bus. I was just observing this ti, so I didn't interfere with the exchange eting."
Of course, I already knew that Sakayanagi had figured out where all of her classmates were assigned.
So, once I told her what I was about to say, Sakayanagi wouldn't be able to escape.
"On the second day of the camp, when we talked in the lobby, do you rember what you said? 'Hashimoto-kun and Morishita-san are in the sa group. How is Hashimoto-kun doing?' That's what you said. It's impossible for you to overlook Class A's group assignnts, as you seem to pride yourself on. Yet, you didn't even ntion Yamamura's na, did you?"
This proved that Sakayanagi was subconsciously avoiding talking about Yamamura.
"That's—"
No matter what excuse she made, she couldn't twist the conclusion that she 'avoided' it.
"...Yes, that's right. I admit that I didn't ntion Yamamura-san's na at that ti. But it's none of your business, is it, Ayanokōji-kun?"
"Indeed, it's none of my business. I'm probably ddling in others' affairs by doing this."
But I continued. Sakayanagi knew everything, so I didn't beat around the bush.
"You lost Kamuro. And at the sa ti, you were entrusted with her feelings. But that doesn't an everything is back to normal. You haven't even finished choosing who to keep by your side, have you?"
Beside , a white breath escaped from Sakayanagi's lips.
"Indeed, I haven't decided yet, but are you suggesting that I should appoint Yamamura-san?"
"That's not what I ant. People have their own strengths and weaknesses."
It was hard to imagine Yamamura boldly supporting Sakayanagi.
"The survival and elimination special exam—there are so people that still seem to be trapped in that exam."
"...Are you talking about and Yamamura-san?"
"That's right. Yamamura is suffering and can't move forward, even though her situation is very different from yours."
The two who had yet to complete the survival and elimination special exam.
If Sakayanagi was the light of Class A, Yamamura was the shadow.
It was safe to say they had an inseparable relationship that couldn't be cut off.
"If you're still bothered by that, you should resolve it."
"...What you're saying is strange, Ayanokōji-kun."
"Strange?"
"I thought you were just going to stand on the sidelines from now on. Isn't your unnecessary intervention excessive?"
"That's right. I also thought until a little while ago that I should just stand on the sidelines from here on."
Sakayanagi no longer needed any further assistance.
It was enough to wait for her to stand up on her own.
However, the situation had changed significantly since before the special exam that led Hashimoto to betray them.
That was why I was doing what I thought needed to be done now.
"I don't particularly want you to have anything to do with Yamamura. I don't have any such hopes at all. Whether you want to get closer or more distant, or even cut ties, is up to you. But if you're going to talk, now is the only ti."
Neither parties would benefit from postponing the issue.
"Wouldn't it be smartest to leave everything behind at this training camp?"
"...But..."
Sakayanagi's frustrating resistance.
I wasn't one to talk, but she was just as bad at friendships.
She didn't know what to do because she had no prior experience.
"As I said earlier, I have Yamamura waiting in the dog park. She's been waiting for you in the cold for over 20 minutes now."
"If that's the case, aren't you being a bit an, Ayanokōji-kun? The ti you promised to et was 7 o'clock. We haven't even been talking for ten minutes yet. Doesn't that an she's been waiting since before that?"
From Yamamura's perspective, waiting for an unnecessarily long ti would make the experience quite tough.
From Sakayanagi's perspective, she would be overwheld by guilt for making Yamamura wait.
"This is also part of my strategy." I told her.
She was quick to notice these kinds of things. It was indeed Sakayanagi.
"I guess there's no choice. I can't let her catch a cold because of . Let's go pick her up for now."
Sakayanagi, who couldn't admit her weakness straight away, stood up for an appropriate reason.
That was fine.
If she spoke one-on-one with Yamamura, they'd be able to talk honestly.
"It's a bit of a distance, but even you can walk there in about five minutes. Go ahead."
I also stood up and told her so.
However... Sakayanagi didn't step forward.
"What's wrong?"
My question was t with no response, and a brief silence ensued.
During that ti, Sakayanagi tried to start walking, but she didn't move forward at all.
"...My... leg..."
Her leg? Could it be hurting? I thought for a mont, but...
"My leg... I can't move it... I wonder why."
It was imdiately clear that it was not a physical problem, but a ntal one.
Even though she acted bravely through her words, as she's typically like, her body didn't seem to agree.
It seems that the change in her heart, the change that Kamuro brought to light, was also evident here.
"Don't feel like you can show this side to anyone else?"
"...Yes, that's right..."
I grabbed Sakayanagi's left hand as she stood bewildered, unable to walk.
Having waited for before the set ti, her fingertips were very cold.
"Then, just for now, I'll be your legs. That should make it easy for you to walk."
"...I'm sorry."
"It's okay. It's my own ddling that started this."
After that, we moved forward slowly without exchanging words.
Eventually, the dog park ca into view.
Seeing Yamamura standing in the shadow of the big tree in the distance, Sakayanagi raised her hand slowly to make her presence known, despite her confusion. When I gently pushed Sakayanagi's back, she started walking on her own, albeit with a cane.
From there on, it wasn't my place to interfere.
Sakayanagi and Yamamura would have to talk and find their own solutions.
Expecting a bright future, I turned away and left.
Thus, the three-night, four-day exchange eting ca to an end.
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