My Story of Falling for the Class President Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Can't Help But Say It

With a bruise plastered on my face, I head to class.

As I enter the classroom, my classmates look at with shocked faces.

'Tachibana, what happened to your face?'

A girl sitting next to , who rarely speaks, struck up a conversation.

'A lot happened.'

'You were injured last week too, but it looks worse than yesterday, doesn't it?'

(I know.)

I wave my hand dismissively, and the girl falls silent.

Kashii-san also enters the classroom.

She looks at and is clearly shocked as well.

(Since we talked yesterday, is it fine?)

Then, when Aoi cos in, the class buzzes with murmurs. Aoi's face looks terrible too.

But no one approaches him. When our eyes et, he turns red, probably rembering yesterday's tension and squirming in embarrassnt this morning.

Fifteen minutes before morning horoom starts, Kashii-san stands at the podium, drawing everyone's attention.

'Last night, I received a report from other students that Aoi-kun and Tachibana-kun were fighting. Is that true, you two?'

'We did.'

'Yeah, we did.'

'Why? Both of you are injured like that! School isn't a boxing ring!'

From there, Kashii-san's lecture begins.

Freedom doesn't an doing whatever you want, violence leads to injuries and incidents, and it worries your family. It's obvious, but I want you to have compassion for others. I care about all of you, so I don't want to see you hurting each other.

That's why I absolutely can't tolerate teasing, bullying, or violence that hurts both heart and body.

If there's anything, I'll do whatever I can, so please tell .

I thought Kashii-san would give a more polished speech, but today it's raw, like she's spilling her true feelings, a speech that hits with her heart.

'Both of you, absolutely no more fighting! As punishnt, you two will take out the class trash together for two months!'

(That's different from what she said; it was supposed to be one month.)

Well, no helping it. Just when I thought I had no choice, Aoi opened his mouth.

Aoi's face looked calm, as if a burden had been lifted.

'...I want you to listen. It's not just about the fight. I... I did things to Tachibana and Tanaka and the others...'

There was about a three-second hesitation.

'...Teasing... no, I bullied them... I hurt them, insulted them, and used violence.'

The class falls silent. He didn't need to say that much. If he takes on the role of preventing bullying from now on, we could let the past go based on how he interacts moving forward. Saying this in front of everyone will make it a problem!

I tried to stop him.

'Tachibana! Let say it. I know an apology won't fix it, but...'

Bowing deeply to , Aoi apologized.

He also apologized to Tanaka and Sarakata-kun, bowing deeply to each of them one by one.

It turned into a huge issue.

The teacher, who must have been listening midway, ca into the classroom right away, and the first period beca self-study.

Aoi, myself, and the three quieter guys were each questioned individually.

Aoi insisted it was all his doing and didn't say a word about the others who helped with the bullying.

The Sotomachi group and others were on edge, probably thinking they might be questioned as accomplices, but there was a different, funeral-like atmosphere unlike usual.

As the victims, we said we'd judge based on Aoi's future actions but accepted his apology for now. We conveyed that we didn't want severe punishnt.

Since the victims didn't seek harsh punishnt and the school likely didn't want to blow up the incident, they saw enough remorse in Aoi, especially since he reported it himself.

Perhaps rushing to a conclusion, the decision was made the next day, and Aoi received a three-day suspension. I got off with a warning since there was bullying involved, and many witnessed being targeted, even though I fought too.

Maybe because this issue was pressed from various sides, our conflict-avoidant horoom teacher looked pale. That, at least, felt satisfying.

Initially, the plan was to use the fight incident, Kashii-san's public judgnt, and her speech to push an anti-bullying ssage and create a trend against bullying. But since Aoi ca forward himself, the incident spread across the school instantly, making teachers and students more sensitive to such issues. Even small teasing in classes or club activities beca unacceptable, and bullying or teasing at school quickly went underground.

After school, I went to et the boys in my class. I spoke a little about my feelings one-on-one with those I could talk to at school. For those I couldn't talk to at school, I visited the ones whose houses I knew, everyone except Koishi (I don't know Sotomachi's since he transferred here three years ago).

About half of them said they didn't want to tease in the first place. The other half seed scared of . But overall, they agreed.

I couldn't approach the girls, so I asked Kashii-san for help.

But I kind of get it. Since we're human, when the power balance shifts or an incident happens, teasing and bullying might flare up again quickly.

Even so, a class without that is more peaceful, and the worries of the girl I like would decrease, so it's pretty good, right?

The school, now sensitive to teasing and bullying, feels a bit stifling, but compared to when I was being teased, it's stress-free.

Seeing Kashii-san's relieved face felt like the best reward.

———————

After a long day, Aoi finally heads ho.

Though it was his own doing, the repeated questioning had understandably worn him out.

He had told his parents yesterday and got severely scolded, but they were surprised he ca forward on his own.

(It's not just ; I've caused trouble for my parents too.)

While thinking about such things and walking, he bumped into Sotomachi at the shoe lockers.

'...'

'...'

There was no conversation between the two who had been allies until yesterday.

'...I bullied them... It's my responsibility, mine alone.'

Aoi muttered flatly to Sotomachi without making eye contact, neither indebting him nor apologizing.

'...Well, that's obvious, isn't it...'

The Sotomachi group was involved in the bullying, and it's impossible that Sotomachi had nothing to do with it, but due to his high credibility up until now, insufficient evidence, and Aoi's insistence that it was only him, Sotomachi wasn't questioned.

For the first ti, Aoi looked directly at Sotomachi and spoke.

'Tachibana, he wasn't just so weakling follower of Atsuki, all talk and no action like you said.'

Without making eye contact, Sotomachi spoke while putting on his shoes.

'That's why I sent you at him, isn't it?'

Here, for the first ti, Sotomachi looked at Aoi and spoke.

'Don't talk to anymore.'

Without even a glance, Sotomachi walked away.

They were friends, or at least he thought they were. He had a feeling it would co to this, but he also thought, maybe? With a bitter smile, Aoi left the school building too.

What kind of punishnt will co down from tomorrow onward? How will everyone look at ?

(Having no allies at school feels this unsettling. What did Tachibana feel like...?)

Feeling guilt, disgust, and sha over what he'd done, long after the fact, Aoi passed through the gate.

Just outside the gate, from the second-floor window of a house three doors down, Kousuke and Tachibana were waving, calling out, "Over here!"

When he confessed his sins, he felt anxious but had no regrets.

To Aoi's eyes, the sky outside the gate looked vast.