I've never once thought of myself as a special person.
While I had no special talents, lacking any particular faults either made me just an average person.
I've been kinda coasting through life up until now, just doing whatever I liked.
I did a few bad things from time to time, and I also did a few kind things, in my own way.
I'm not a good guy, and I'm not a bad guy either. If I had to evaluate myself, then that's the kinda guy I am.
Ever since I was born, I've kept walking as someone who was neither of those things.
It was after I started high school that that became apparent.
Even archery I only took up because I saw it randomly on TV and thought I'd try it to kill time.
I was just moving through my ordinary life, like I was letting the currents carry me.
Not caring about the big things, it was the kind of day-to-day life where I'd always keep a reasonable distance.
It might've been a boring daily life, but I thought it would be easier so I kept it up.
Maybe it was a consequence of that, but I didn't make any real friends in high
school.
It wasn't like I was lonely, but... out of the blue, that kind of me ended up making a few friends.
Keisei, Kiyotaka, Haruka, Airi.
It might've been just five of us including me, but in fact, that small group felt strangely comfortable.
I had a hunch that I'd be spending the rest of my school life relaxing in this group of five.
Even if my surroundings had changed, I was still me. I thought that alone would never change.
Despite those feelings, one major change did take place. That was that I would fall in love with someone.
There'd been times when I'd thought a girl was cute or beautiful, but I'd never fallen in love with one.
When did it start, I wonder?
When did I start gazing at Haruka?
And then, I was convinced of it when, during the Unanimous Consent Special Exam, Haruka said she would drop out of school.
There was a part of me that couldn't accept that we would be separated. Instead of logic, my emotions took top priority.
I thought that, even if it meant abandoning Airi, a member of the group I cared about just as much, I wanted to protect her.
I don't know if I could be forgiven for having those feelings.
Instead of weighing up what was right and wrong based on merit, I gave preference to what I wanted to protect.
But I have no regrets.
"Will you join me in my revenge?"
That murmur pulled me back to reality. Her eyes looking at me were the same as ever.
They were strong, straightforward, and had a dangerous glint.
But they showed that she was determined without any turbulence or hesitation.
I didn't answer her question aloud. No, I couldn't.
I'm almost certain that revenge would trouble a lot of my friends and
classmates.
She must've seen through my emotions, as she laughed, turned her back and walked away by herself.
If it was the me of the past, I surely would've sent her off without caring.
Sending her off was the right thing to do.
Right, if I watch that back leave, just how easy would it be?
I had no idea that falling in love with someone was so troublesome, so difficult, so much of a nuisance.
I...
Down the road, no matter how many people will hate me...
My feelings won't allow me to let her go alone.
On this day at the end of the sports festival, I—steeled my nonexistent
resolve.